Appraisal and Monitoring of Small-Scale Dairy Goat Production System

1 ETSIA (School of Agricultural Engineering) of Seville University, Agroforestry Science Department, Ctra. Utrera km.1, 41013, Seville, Spain 2 IFAPA (Andalusia Institute of Agricultural Research and Training), Economy and Sociology Department, Camino de Purchil”, Apdo. 2027, 18080 Granada, Spain Abstract: In Spain there is a great variety of goat production systems, from the most traditional mixed (milk/meat) types to the most technologically advanced milk ones. To improve efficiency in these farms, small-scale appraisal and monitoring should be used. Because goat farmers are not used to record information, monitoring and data collection should be carried out monthly. Up to now, data collection included the use of land and labor, productivity, reproductive and feeding management, incomes and expenditures. Computerized management programs are recommended to analyze data. Indicators are used for various objectives as to compare results with established objectives, to compare a production system in different places or conditions or to analyze possible trends of production systems. Although technicians and researchers have mostly used monitoring data for technical and economic advice, aspects concerning environmental and social issues of livestock, should also be taking into account. For that, it is important to use methodologies and programs that facilitate joint analysis of the three (economical, environmental and sociological) sustainability areas. To improve the Spanish goat sector, it is absolutely essential that the producer, technicians, politics and researchers work together in the development of an adequate system of advisory.