SMALL RUMINANT

(Goat and Sheep)

PRODUCTION

J’ Boy P. Maravilla
Faculty, ASU-CAFES, An. Sci. Dept.
OUTLINE
Goat and Sheep Breeds
Goat and Sheep Basic
Differences
Stock Selection
Management
Housing
Breeding and
Management Practices
Goat
Known as "biological herbicide" due to its
browsing ability (browser).
Diet: 40% grasses and 60% forbs (shrubs
and herbs) Capable of nibbling bark of
trees
Mobile lips
Walk long distance in search for food
Selective in term of feed preference (eats
young shoot first)
Sheep

Biological lawnmower (essentially

grazers)
Flocking instinct- pecking order
Less selective of feed offered than
goats
Basic differences between goat and sheep:
Goat Sheep
Scientific name Capra hircus Ovis aries
Chromosome number 60 54
Sounds made Maaa Baaa
Tail posture/carriage Upward Downward
Feeding behavior Partly browser Purely grazer
Social behavior Individualistic Flocking instinct
Long hair growth Beard Mane
Skin covering Mostly hair Mostly wool
Presence of horns Naturally horned Naturally polled
Presence of scent Base of horn;
Between hooves
glands in males Beneath tail
Growth behavior of Narrower; upright; Curl in loops at sides
horn less curved of head
SHEEP BREEDS
 Barbados Black Belly -
originated in Barbados
Island with African
Ancestry; adapted to
wide range of
environment; high
reproductive efficiency;
hair type: sweet
mutton; black colors
cover under parts
completely extending
up the neck and down
the insides of the legs.
SHEEP BREEDS

Priangan - originated in Indonesia; primarily for ram

fighting and meat; thin tailed; often lacks external
ears
SHEEP BREEDS
Shropshire -
originated in
England; wool-
type; believed to
be as one of the
ancestors of the
Philippine sheep
SHEEP BREEDS

Suffolk - originated in England; wool type; meat,

dark colored feces and legs
SHEEP BREEDS
Merino -
originated in
Spain; finest
wool
producer; the
other ancestor
of Philippine
sheep
GOAT BREEDS
Dual Purpose
 Anglo-Nubian - basically a
tropical breed successfully
adopted grow in the Western
countries, distinguishing
features are drooping
pendulous ears and a Roman
nose.
 Boer Goats - are intended to
be raised for meat and they
grow more rapidly than other
goat breeds. They have a light
colored body and a distinction
red head.
GOAT BREEDS
Dairy Breeds
 Saanen - originated in
Switzerland, pure white to
off-white in color and has
the highest milk
production.
 Toggenburg - from
Switzerland, smaller than
the Nubian and Saanen,
distinguishing feature are
markings on the face,
legs and tails; erect ears
like the Saanen.
GOAT BREEDS
Dairy Breeds
Alpine - also a
European breed;
color range from off-
white to red to black.
La Mancha - from
Spain/Oregon; very
distinctive ear types "
gopher ears", "elf ear"
 Stock Selection
Does
 Selection could be based on the
number of offspring weaned per
year/doe, animal mortality, length
of production life and incidence of
major defects.
Bucks
 In the selection of breeder buck, consider the blood composition,
constitution and vigor, breeding quality and aggressiveness.
 It is recommended to have a minimum of two purebred or
crossbreed bucks of different breeds.
 Generally, buck male ratio is 1:35.
Management
It is usual to see an offspring at the side of the
mother even when rearing a kid of its own.
Their pack character is so very evident, with the
oldest buck or doe on the highest part of the
sleeping area.
They also have maintained their mountainous
character.
Management
Goats prefer an elevated area of resting. The
arrangement and feature of the housing, including
management practices, must then be adapted
according to these characteristics.
Goats can be expected to live up to 13 to 15 years,
with an average economic lifespan of 6 to 8 years.
In the Philippines, does come in-heat year-round
with an average kidding interval of about 8 to 9
months.
Housing
 All goats are afraid of rain and wetness, as these make them
prone to pneumonia.
 Goats also prefer to sleep in elevated areas, therefore
elevated sleeping platform, like a stair-type arrangement,
and must be provided.
 Flooring should be included and elevated at least about 15°
to facilitate cleaning and drainage.
 Separate pens should be provided for lactating does, kids,
growers, and bucks.
 The buck pen should be placed in such a way that it will
always be visible to the breeding does yet far enough to
avoid transfer of the typical goat smell in case of lactating
doe when milk is to be sold.
Type of housing
Shed type
 Free movement in or out
 Feeding / watering trough,
mineral bunks

Pen-barn type
 Stall barns (individual confinement)
 Confined housing (group pens for same sires of
animals)
 Provision for feed and water shall be placed and
protected from spoilage and will not mess up the pen.
Minimum floor space requirement in intensive
production

Weight Floor space {m2/animal)

Animal
(kg) Solid floor Slatted Open yard
Doe/Ewe 35 0.8 0.7 2
Doe/Ewe 50 1.1 0.9 2.5
Doe/Ewe 75 1.4 1.1 3
Kid/Lamb 0.4-0.5 0.3-0.4
Buck/Ram 3 2.5
SPACE REQUIREMENTS FOR GOAT

Floor Area Feeding Space (linear

(sq. meter) cm.)
Does, buck and
0.50-1.50 15.24-25.40
adults
Growing 0.50-0.75 10.16-15.24
Kids 0.20-0.50 7.62-12.70
Minimum space requirement:
Floor
Weight Floor space (m2/animal)
Animal (kg) Pregnant Lactating
Doe/Ewe 50-70 1.3 2
Doe/Ewe >70 1.6 2.3
Exercise lot or loafing area:
 3 m2/animal
 A loafing area, fenced beside the goat house must be
provided complete with feeding racks and water troughs.
This must be continuous with the goat house to allow them to
loaf when preferred.
Functional requirement
Pens (for pen-barn type housing)
Height of pen wall and gate: not< 1.2m

Pen facilities:
Feeding trough and hay racks
Watering trough: 300mm space per 15 -25 head
1 bowl or nipple per 50 head
Computation for the total floor space area
Basis:
 Number of breeding females; Reproductive parameters;
and Minimum floor space requirement.
Reproductive parameters:
 Conception rate (80%)
 Kidding interval (8 mos.)
 Ave. Kidding size (1.5)
 Disposal age (at 1 yr age)
 Annual replacement rate (20%)
 Livability rate (to 1 yr age)
Cogon and nipa roofing materials are preferable in hot
and humid areas.
Ventilation is of utmost importance. Majority of pneumonia
causes can be traced to excessively warm and humid
interior and sudden changes in temperature.
 Allow a 0.5 to 1 ft., clearance between floor to wall and
wall to beam to create an adequate air circulation and
to lower draft.
 It is desirable to maintain interior temperature of 28° to
30°C.
 It has been established that above 30°C, ruminants
are inhibited from eating.
Lighting may also be provided in the barns during the
night. Goats consume up to 30% of the day's intake during
the night when light is provided.
Fencing
Nine-eye hog wire is the cheapest and most
effective fencing available locally.
Post must be staked every 2 meters. Goats are fond
of pounding their feet and scraping their bodies on
fences so it must be sturdily built.
Barbwire fencing requires a minimum of four strands
so it becomes more costly besides making goats
prone to wounds
 BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Breeding characteristics

Bos taurus Capra hircus Ovis aries

Age at puberty (months) 8 5-6 7-8
Age at 1 st breeding (months) 15 8-10 12
Estrus cycle (days) 18-24 18-24 15-19
Estrus duration (hours) 18 24-72 24-72
Post-partum estrus (days) 40-60 60 17
Gestation period (days) 283 150 150
REPRODUCTIVE PHENOMEN
 Sexual Maturity - Goat become sexually mature at the age
of five to six months if they are well managed and well fed.
 Estrous Cycle - Once sexual maturity is reached, goats are
regularly cycling, and that is if they are managed properly,
Regular cycling means the goat becomes in-heat or
receptive for breeding every 18 to 24 days with an average
of 21 days.
 Estrous Duration - estrous or heat period usually ends after
18 hours from the onset.
 Most common signs of estrous:
1. Allowing themselves to be mounted
2. Mounting other animals
3. Mucous discharge from vulva; swollen vulva
4. Frequent urination, nervousness and lack of appetite
REPRODUCTIVE PHENOMEN
 Gestation Period - once the doe is successfully bred
during period, she is expected to deliver after five
months.
 Age at First Breeding - although female goats become
sexually mature at five to six months, they are not
supposed to be bred until they reach 8 to 12 months
while breeder buck is allowed to breed at 10 to 12
months of age.
 Male to Female Ratio - on the average, 25 females are
allowed to be bred with a single one-year-old buck.
ROUTINE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
Hoof Trimming
Dehorning
Castration
Tattooing, Ear Notching and Other Forms of
Identification
Recording
Hoof Trimming
 Goat's hooves under
confinement are usually
overgrown.
 Trimming required.
 A rose pruner and a small
curved knife are adequate
tools. Untrimmed hooves will
cause lameness and make it
prone to foot rot. Bucks refuse to
mount when having sore feet.
Dehorning
 Especially in milking, dehorning is
essential.
 A dehorned animal is more docile
than a horned one. It will also
eliminate unnecessary wounds
due to fighting.
 Dehorn when horn buds appear (2
to 4 months) using hot iron cautery.
 A ½ inch GI pipe is an effective
and cheap material for
cauterizing.
 Chemical cautery is not preferred
because kids tend to lick one
another and may therefore lead
to cauterized or burned tongues.
Castration
Castration of unwanted male
goats is preferred within the
first month of age.
Castrated males grow faster
than uncastrated males and
are free of the of the goaty
male odor.
Tattooing, Ear Notching and
Other Forms of Identification
 In order to keep track of
individual animals, positive
identification is needed. No
recording is possible without
this.
 Ear notching is more common
because of permanence and
easy identification. Refrain from
using plastic tags.
 Tattooing causes no
deformities but requires
speci1al tools that may be
costly.
Recording
For a good breeding herd program, a proper and
we I-kept recording system is necessary. The record
must reflect all the essential data of individual
animals.
FEED RESOURCES AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT
Feeding under confinement and Grazing System
 A combined method of feeding management under the
confinement and grazing system can be adopted.
 Purely Cut-and-Carry-System shall be introduced during rainy
season. However, during sunny days if grazing pasture is
available, animals are allowed to graze in the morning up to
10:00 am and then feed in confinement for the rest of the
day.
 However, when a combined grazing and confinement
method is adopted, two (2) hectares can support 50 head/
year.
 It is recommended that grazing pasture be divided into 9
paddocks shall for convenience in grazing management.
FEED RESOURCES AND FEEDING MANAGEMENT

Tethering System - It is the traditional way of rearing goat in

the backyard with two or more
households.
 However, during rainy days and night time, the animals
are kept inside the house. Normally, the animals
consume lesser amount of feed based on dry matter
requirement per head/day.
 Tethered animals need concentrate supplementation
and as much as possible, planted grasses for cut-and-
carry be available to provide the desired nutritional
requirement of the animals.
 Feed Requirements
AGE FEED AMOUNT PER
Birth - 3days Colostrum Ad Libitum
(3 to 5x feeding)
4days 2weeks Whole milk 0.5-lli/kid divided into 3x
(goat or cow milk) Vitamin- feeding
Mineral Ad Libitum
Water Ad Libitum
2weeks 16weeks Whole milk/milk Replacer 0.5-lli/kid divided into 2x
feeding
Grass-Legume hay or Ad Libitum
quality fresh forages
Vitamin-mineral Mix Ad Libitum
Water Ad Libitum
Starter (22% C.P.) Increasing amount w/o
causing digestive upset
 Feed Requirements
AGE FEED AMOUNT PER
4 months kidding Forage Ad Libitum
Vitamin-Mineral mix Ad Libitum
Water concentrates 0.2-0.7 kg/hd.m
(16-18% C.P.)
Dry, pregnant, Forage Ad Libitum
bucks Vitamin-Mineral mix Ad Libitum
Water concentrates Ad Libitum
(16-18% C.P.)
Lactating Forage Ad Libitum
Vitamin-Mineral mix Ad Libitum
Water concentrates ( 16-18% 0.3-0.5 kg/L of milk
C.P.) Produced
HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Health Management Practices
 Sanitation
-Have pens cleaned daily and washed at least three times a week.
-Disinfect at least twice a month.
 Deworming
-Parasites rank second in causing heavy mortality. From experience,
tapeworms are the most debilitating worm problem in all ages of
goats.
-Protozoa-like coccidia and amoeba are also common problems
especially in young kids.
-Know what kind of internal parasite is affecting your herd before
attempting to use a deworming product, or else it will be a waste of
money and effort.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Health Management Practices

 External Parasites
-Lice and ticks are common problems.
-When these are observed, apply acaricide or chemical
against lice and ticks, in powder or dust form. This can be done
by mixing the powder-form chemicals with 7 to 140 parts of
starch or flour and apply as dusting powder. Refrain from using
the liquid or spray form.
HEALTH MANAGEMENT
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Bacterial Pneumonia

Mode of Direct contact from infected or

transmission contaminated udder; navel infection, genital or
intra uterine infection of dam, contaminated
environment
Symptoms -Fever, inability to suckle, nasal discharge,
coughing and respiratory distress.
-Gradual emaciation may terminate as
pneumonia-enteritis combination. Death is
common.
Prevention -Propernursing, in clean, environment necessary.
Early respond to antibiotic treatment.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Infectious Arthritis
Mode of Direct, through mouth, skin, open wounds, via
transmission umbilicus

Symptoms -Swollen knees, lameness, pain if pressure is applied

on affected joint. Fever may be present. Joints involved
are hock, knee, elbow and stifle. Animals prefers
r4ecumbency, appetite affected with gradual
deterioration.
Prevention -Minimize infection by treating wounds (castration &
navel) dressing, hygiene management especially in
areas of confinement. Treatment includes wide
spectrum antibiotics and sulfa drugs.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Mastitis
Mode of Direct or indirect
transmission
Symptoms Hot, painful and swollen udder. May be come red due
to inflammation later changing to dark reddish-blue
indicating necrosis of udder tissue. Milk may be
bloodstained, may contain flakes or clots. Fever, loss of
appetite, depression and dehydration; gait or
movement of doe is affected.
Prevention Treatment: Intramammary infusion of antibiotics. Early
and repeated treatment needed to prevent
complications such as gangrene and toxemia.
Prevention: Proper treatment of injured teats with
antiseptic; disinfecting udders for milking and proper
milking technique. Monitor by surveillance to detect
early cases for immediate isolation and treatment.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Brucellosis
Mode of -Ingestion of contaminated feed and water.
transmission Aborted fetus, fatal membrane, placenta, urine
and uterine discharge are main sources of
infection. Infected males may transfer disease
throughnatural/artificial breeding.
Symptoms -Infertility, abortion, retained placenta, persistent
vaginal discharge. In males, swollen and painful
testicles with subsequent infertility sterility.
Prevention -Blood tests and removal of infected animals.
-Vaccination may be tired.
-Antibiotic medication is found to be impractical.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Tetanus
Mode of -Direct infection due to introduction of organism
transmission in wounds. Castration, old ulcerating wounds,
dehorning complications. Not contagious to other
animals.
Symptoms -Early stages characterize by rigidity and stiffness
of muscles, stilthy gait.
-Late stages: with tetanic convulsions, prolapse of
third eyelid, stiff tail, head and neck thrown back;
hyper excitability.
Prevention -Bloat and other nervous signs. Treat wound with
oxidizing antiseptic (hydrogen peroxide) until
completely. healed; use clean instrument
castration, dehorning.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Parasitic Pneumonia
Mode of -Infection with the parasite in the larval stage
transmission though herbage.
Symptoms -As in parasitic gastro-enteritis for
general signs.
-Specific symptom include persistent husky,
coughing, respiratory distress
Prevention -Regular deworming with tetramisole albendazole
or exfendazole.
-General prevention as parasitic gastro
enteritis.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Tapeworm Infection
Mode of -Through ingestion of plant mites which are
transmission intermediate hosts.

Symptoms -Some as other internal parasitism, passage of

tapeworm segments in the feces.

Prevention Regular deworming

Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Liverfluke Infestation
Mode of -Direct infection through ingestion of parasitic
transmission stage in grasses. Presence of this stage related to
avail ability of snail host.
-Common in low-lying communities with water
logged areas, rivers, streams and stagnant pools.
Symptoms -Similar to parasitic gastroenteritis
Prevention -Regular deworming with flukecides, control of
snail hosts; pasture improvements, keep animals
away from known infected sources of herbage.
Deworming at proper intervals (3-4 times a year) is
the only practical approach.
-Consult veterinarians for proper drug, dosage
and intervals.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Lice Infestation
Mode of -Direct contact with infected animals or indirectly
transmission through environment of facilities.
Symptoms -Constant scratching and rubbing to relieve
itching and irritation. Scurfy coat (dandruff) and
encrustation of exudates with scabby deposit.
Loss of hair, raw skin and bruises in severe
infestation. Animals become unthrifty, poor
thriving, weak and anemic.
Prevention -Use insecticide (Asuntol, Ciodrin, Diazinon,
Neguvon, Supona Nankor, etc.). In dust form
solution, repeat treatment in 10-14 days to kill all
nymphs which hatch out. Also spray pens and
lifter. Isolate treated from untreated animals.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Mange
Mode of -Direct and indirect contact with infected
transmission animals.
Symptoms -marked itchiness and irritation with animals
constantly rubbing or licking affected areas.
Maybe patchy or generalized, skin becomes
hairless, thickened or scabby.
Prevention -Periodic examination to detect early cases.
Regular spraying with effective acarides such as
Malathion, Trichlorfon, Fentnion.
-Diazinon, Crotoxyphos or coumaphos. Interval of
treatment should be 7-10 days with 2-3
applications to destroy mites that have hatched
after each treatment.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Bloat
Mode of - Non-contagious.
transmission
Symptoms -Swollen left flank which is resonant when tapped.
Signs of colic such as uneasiness, difficult
respiration, bloating and absence of rumen
movements.
Prevention -Feed straw or fibrous diets before turning loose on
lush pasture. Puncture rumen with large needle.
-Oils and fats (mineral oil, vegetable oil or to
prevent foaming tallow) are satisfactory in the
rumen. Commercial antibloat preparations are
Avlinox, Tympanol, and Bloatguard.
Common Infection diseases of Goat
 Acute Indigestion or Grain Overload
Mode of transmission - Non-contagious.
Symptoms -Signs appear from 10-36 hours after dietary changes.
Depression, loss of appetite, abdominal distention
causing pain and discomfort. Diarrhea develops.
-rapid respiration and pulse, in coordination, weakness,
coma and health
Prevention Avoid sudden dietary Treatment generally changes.
Treatment generally unsatisfactory. Early cases may
respond to high antibiotic levels given orally to reduce
population of acid-forming bacteria, (acidosis)
indigestion may be treated with anti-acids like baking
soda (sodium bicarbonate), magnesium carbonate or
magnesium hydroxide given orally in warm water (1
gm/kg body weight) to neutralize rumen acidity.
Systematic acidos requires intravenous injection of acid
neutralizes like 5% sodium bicarbonate repeatedly given.
Thank you for listening!

“GOD BLESS”