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Forage Utilization and Nutrient Requirements of the Goat¹

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, San Angelo 76901

ABSTRACT

The goat, from a world wide view, is both hated and treasured because it survives and remains productive in areas that are seriously overgrazed and eroded. Goats are probably not the initial cause of rangeland deterioration, but they may be the primary culprit during the latter stages of destruction. Goats are presented as being different in diet selection and gastrointestinal physiology from other domestic animals (cattle and sheep) and similar to deer. These differences offer explanations of why the goat's elevated requirements can be satisfied under environmental conditions unsatisfactory for other animals. Some experimental evidence indicates that the goat has greater digestive capacity; however, this advantage is likely only in certain breeds or strains having definable anatomical dimensions and is not a characteristic of the entire goat population. Experimental evidence suggests that the dairy goat does not hold a distinct advantage in efficiency of milk production over the highly developed dairy cow; however, it is likely that under many circumstances in the world, milk can be produced more efficiently from goats than from cattle due to resources available and adaptability of the animals.

¹ Technical Article TA-13561. Published by permission of Texas A & M University, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.