Milk Production from Sheep and Goats

Publikations-Art

Zeitschriftenbeitrag

Autoren

Gall,C.F.

Erscheinungsjahr

1975

Veröffentlicht in

World Animal Review

Band/Volume

1975/13

Seite (von - bis)

1 - 8

Milk Production from Sheep and Goats accounts for about 3.4 percent of world milk production but in some countries it is as high as 90 percent. Competition with cattle milk production is hampered by a remunerative market, volume of production and seasonal production. Most of the milk is processed into cheese. Meat is an important by-product contributing up to 50 percent of total income. As the thriftiest male animals are often slaughtered, the stunted ones are left for breeding; subsequent deterioration may be attributed to inbreeding. A three-tier stratified production system is discussed that would integrate the range with areas of higher potential and reduce some of the pressure on grazing land. Some of the range ewes would be mated with dairy rams. Crossbred ewes would be used on the intermediate stratum and mated to mutton rams. Their offspring would be subject to feed-lot fattening. The whole system depends on organization. Operators of the first two strata must be sure that their returns will be higher if selling crossbreds for he next stratum than selling animals in the traditional way. They rely on sales at a point in time that fits their flock requirements. Ideally the system would be controlled by one central organization.