Goats
Goat
Production & Welfare : Goat Milk : Goat
Hair : Disease : Slaughter
Goats in the United Kingdom are kept for a number of reasons; they are
farmed for their milk, meat, hair (mohair/cashmere) and hide. They may
also be used
to graze land (1). There are around 88,000 goats in the UK, half of these
are adults used for breeding purposes. In England and Wales there are
33,000 milk-producing
goats. The domesticated goat ’Capra hircus’ is found throughout
the world, of which there are around 770 million (2,
3). In the last 12 months
7,515 goats were slaughtered in the UK (4). Most goat meat comes from kids,
usually males which are surplus to the dairy herd (2).
Goat
Production & Welfare
Goats naturally like to browse and cover a wide range for their food/grazing.
They prefer to live in social groups and appear to enjoy human contact. Their
coats are made from hair and, unlike sheep, which produce an oily secretion
(lanolin) into the wool, goats do not have natural waterproofing and therefore
like to shelter in the wet weather (1). Goats are very inquisitive, social
animals, but unlike sheep are not as flock-orientated (5,
6).
Goats in the UK cover a variety of breed types, each with its own unique characteristics.
Many breeds require more protection from inclement weather than cattle/sheep,
all breeds however require some form of shelter. Goats housing should be dry
and well-lit with sufficient ventilation which does not cause draughts and
their lying area should be covered (1). Housed goats should have access to
a yard/pasture. The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs guidelines
state that the space allowance when penned should be calculated in relation
to the age, size and class of stock. This and the size of the group should
be based on appropriate advice (1).
A goat
under 6 months of age is known as a ‘kid’, with the act
of a female goat giving birth being known as ‘kidding’. Adult female
goats are called ‘does’, and the term ‘nanny’ is applied
to mother goats with kids. Male goats are referred to as ‘bucks’ and
when they are castrated they are known as ‘wethers’ (5). Female
kids become sexually mature at around 6 months of age and are usually bred
at 18 months. Their gestation period is around 5 months and they produce 1-2
kids each gestation (1, 2). The majority of goats are mated naturally (with
one male serving 30-40 females). However, artificial insemination (AI) is becoming
more common. The productive life of a dairy/fiber goat is 7 years (2).
Goats should be kept in accommodation which is dry underfoot with close attention
given to the condition of the foot and, where necessary, regular trimming should
be carried out to prevent lameness from overgrowth. Along with castration (these
males are more generally accepted for meat production and also more easily
managed), goats may have to endure the mutilations of being disbudded and dehorning.
Both of these must be carried out by a veterinary surgeon, disbudding being
done at the earliest possible age (2-3days) but no later than 10 days. Dehorning
an adult goat is a very stressful procedure and should be avoided. The codes
of recommendations for the welfare of goats permit goats over the age of 6
months to be tethered, as long as it does not cause distress or injury to them
but the tethering of kids is not allowed (1).
Goat Milk
Sixty percent of goats are kept in small herds for house milk production (7).
The main breeds are British Saanen, British Toggenburg, British Alpine and
Anglo Nubian. British Saanen goats produce higher milk yields and are most
commonly used commercially. Anglo Nubians produce a higher fat content. The
average lactation length is around 9 months with average yields of 500 -
1,200 litres (7). Goats can milk through to 24 months but should be supported
by adequate nutrition (1). In commercial dairy units, most kids (whether
intended for meat or herd replacements) are taken from their mothers after
receiving colostrum for 24 hours, then fed on milk replacer. Colostrum is
the first milk that goats produce and contains essential antibodies, vitamins
and minerals, and cannot be sold as regular milk for human consumption. When
kids are artificially reared, they are weaned at around 6-8 weeks of age
and should always have access to milk substitutes or be fed at least 2 or
3 times each day. (2). When unwanted kids are to be disposed of (slaughtered)
on the farm, this must be done where possible by a person who is experienced
in both the technique and the equipment used for slaughter (1). The choice
of milking depends largely on the number of goats kept. Those who keep just
a few will probably milk by hand compared to those with large herds, who
will use a milking machine. About 75% of British goat milk produced goes
for cheese making, much of which is sold through supermarkets and specialist
food outlets (7). The practice of zero grazing is becoming more common as
it is more convenient for the farmer. Animals are kept permanently confined,
with no access to the outside, throughout their lives.
Goat hair
Most goats have two coats, a course hairy outer/guard coat and a soft undercoat
(cashmere). The angora goat on the other hand has a single coat (mohair),
this is coarser than cashmere but produced in larger quantities. Cashmere
is harvested by either shearing or combing whereas mohair is harvested by
shearing (twice a year, spring and autumn) (7). There are around 50 cashmere
producers in the UK with a herd of around 2,500 goats. Britain currently
processes 60% of the world's mohair, almost all of which is imported. UK
mohair production is currently around 25 tonnes per annum from a flock of
between 4,000 - 6,000 animals. Shearing takes place twice a year in spring
and autumn. In commercial flocks breeding stock would normally be culled
after 6 years. with kids usually suckling for 4-5 months (7). Goats are particularly
susceptible to changes in temperature, therefore, unless they are housed,
they should only be shorn in suitable weather conditions. Combing is a preferred
method in adverse weather conditions (1).
Disease
There is a large number of diseases affecting goats; these include Scrapie,
Johnes’ Disease, Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV), foot
and mouth and mastitis in milking goats (1).
Scrapie
Scrapie is a fatal brain disease of sheep, and occasionally goats. The infection
is thought to be caused by a protein called a prion. The way in which the
disease is contracted and spread is not fully understood. The disease occurs
in the UK and many other countries, with Australia and New Zealand being
free of scrapie. The clinical signs include skin irritation, excitability,
hind limb weakness and loss of condition which develops gradually months
or years after the animal has become infected.
Johnes’ disease
This is caused by a bacterium, Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis,
and affects adult cattle, sheep and goats. The disease may also affect wildlife,
such as deer and rabbits. Sheep and goats generally lose weight with no other
clinical signs. Infection is usually picked up at an early age from the faeces
of an infected dam mother, or from other infected adults in the birth and
early rearing environment.
Caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV)
This is an incurable viral disease of goats which, as it progresses, causes
severe welfare problems such as loss of body condition, arthritis and or/mastitis
(5).
Foot and Mouth
This is an infectious disease caused by a virus (of which there are 7 types).
The virus affects cloven-hoofed animals such as cattle, sheep, pigs, goats
and deer. The disease is not normally fatal to adult animals but it does
cause debilitation and loss of productivity for farmers (such as lameness).
The virus causes a fever and the development of blisters, mostly in the mouth
and on the feet. Animals contract the disease by either direct contact with
an infected animal or contact with foodstuffs, etc. which have become contaminated
by an infected animal.
Mastitis
This is an important disease in milking goats. Mastitis is a painful infection
of the mammary gland (udder) caused mainly by bacteria such as streptococci,
coliforms and staphylococci. Severe infections cause swelling of the udder,
fever and sometimes death. Infection can lead to depressed appetite, dehydration
and severe diarrhoea and can be fatal. Mastitis is commonly caused by poor
hygiene in cubicle houses and milking parlours. When milk is extracted by
a method known as vacuum pulsation, this means that tissue may be weakened
and so more prone to infection. Over milking can also cause teat injuries
leading to mastitis.
Slaughter
Goats live for 10-12 years, some as long as 30 years. In the last 12 months
7,515 goats were slaughtered in the UK (4). As most goat meat comes from
kids, usually males which are surplus to the dairy herd, slaughter is carried
out from the age of around 12 weeks old (2). In commercial flocks, breeding
stock would normally be culled after 6 years (7). Unless destined for certain
religious/ritual slaughter, goats are stunned first (percussively/electrically)
to render them unconscious. The blood vessels in their throats are then cut
(sticking) and the animal dies by loss of blood (8).
In percussive stunning a captive bolt pistol is held to the goats head so
the bolt penetrates the skull and destroys the brain tissue. This should cause
an instant loss of consciousness following collapse. If the brain tissue is
not destroyed then the animal may come around. The use of a captive bolt does
not always successfully stun the animal. The most common failure in stunning
is due to improper positioning of the bolt, which is a particular problem where
animals are agitated and struggling. Other problems may be due to inadequate
maintenance of the pistol. Mis-stunning causes considerable distress and can
mean the animal is still conscious during throat cutting. The period of unconsciousness
induced by stunning should be longer than the period between stunning and sticking
plus the time taken for sticking to induce brain death. When animals are stunned
electrically, an electric current is applied by means of two electrodes in
the form of tongs. These are placed on either side of the brain. The current
should induce a state of immediate epilepsy (electroplectic shock) in the brain,
during which time the animal is unconscious. Stunning may often be ineffective
and animals may regain consciousness during bleeding-out or even before throat-slitting
(8).
References & Useful
Links
1. Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs www.defra.gov.uk/
2. Ewbank, R., Kim-Madslien, F. and Hart, C.B. (Editors). 1999. 4th Edition.
Management and Welfare of Farm Animals. Universities Federation for Animal
Welfare (UFAW).
3. Gregory,
N.G. 2007 (2nd Edition). Animal Welfare & Meat Production.
4. Meat Hygiene Service.
5. Goats – Introduction
to welfare and ownership. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to
Animals http://www.rspca.org.uk/
6. Cleon V Kimberling, D.V.M. 1999-2007. Introductory information on pet goats.
www.goatworld.com
7. Scottish Agricultural College. www.sac.ac.uk
8. Compassion in World Farming. www.ciwf.org.uk
Further Information
Any questions regarding this information sheet please contact Gilly Prime -
Information and Research Officer gilly@vegsoc.org
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