West African Dwarf (WAD) goats are extremely important in the rural village economy of West Africa, but still little is known about their biology, ecology and capacity to cope with gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections. Here, we summarise the history of this breed and explain its economic importance in rural West Africa. We review recent work showing that Nigerian WAD goats are highly tryp...

The Yangtze River Delta White Goat is the only goat breed that produces high-quality brush hair, or type III hair, which is specialized for use in top-grade writing brushes. There has been little research, especially molecular research, on the traits that result in high-quality brush hair in the Yangtze River Delta White Goat. To explore the molecular mechanisms of the formation of high-quality...

The Yangtze River Delta white goat is a goat breed that can produce high quality brush hair (Type III hair) around the world. This study aimed to compare Type III hair and non-Type III hair goat skin tissues using differentially expressed proteins based on 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis technology. The differentially expressed protein spots were analyzed using the PDquest 8.0 software. Ten p...

The meat goat industry is growing rapidly in the U.S., particularly on small farms. There are a diversity of forage types and qualities used in meat goat production systems. Seventy-two Boer goats were used to evaluate weight gain and carcass parameters when growing goats were finished on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; ALF), red clover ( Trfolium pratense L.; RCL), or orchardgrass (Dactylis glome...

Genetic diversity of three Iraqi local goat breeds (Black, Hybrid, and Meriz) was studied by using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. Fifteen primers were used, they generated a total 259 amplification products, from which 142 bands polymorphic, revealing 55.29% polymorphism. It found that the mean value Nei’s gene (h) Shannon's ınformation index (I) 0.1778 0.2546, respectively. A...

Ten Chios ewe lambs and 10 Damascus she-kids born in October-November and similar numbers born in February along with eight multiparous females from each species, were used to examine pubertal events and reproductive seasonality. Reproductive activity was monitored by determining serum progesterone concentrations once a week for 12 months. The mean date of onset of ovulation (puberty) in autumn...

This publication on the development of small ruminant production in the developing countries is based on an FAO Expert Consultation, held in Sofia, Bulgaria in July 1985. Twenty papers were presented and discussed in the consultation and are reproduced in these proceedings. Strategies in breeding and breed development, nutrition and management, the development and utilization of indigenous gras...

Seasonal weight loss (SWL) is the most important limitation to animal production in the Tropical and Mediterranean regions, conditioning producer's incomes and the nutritional status of rural communities. It is of importance to produce strategies to oppose adverse effects of SWL. Breeds that have evolved in harsh climates have acquired tolerance to SWL through selection. Most of the factors det...

The effects of breed, sex, and age of goats on fecal near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy-predicted percentage juniper in the diet were investigated, as were spectral differences in feces from goats differing in estimated genetic merit for juniper consumption. Eleven goats from each breed, sex, and age combination, representing 2 breeds (Angora and meat-type), 3 sex classifications (female, i...

Growing meat goats of 4 types (Boer and Spanish of both wethers and doelings) were used to evaluate conditions for a method of testing efficacy of electric-fence strand additions to barbed-wire fence used for cattle to also contain goats. Animals were allocated to 8 sets, with each set consisting of 5 groups. There was 1 goat of each of the 4 types in a group. One side of five 2.4- × 3.7-m eval...