The role of goats in the world: Society, science, and sustainability

by Christopher D. Lu, October 2023

Highlights

• Goats are intertwined with evolution of human civilization and dispersal.
• Continuous scientific and technological development is crucial to sustain a viable goat sector as a force to alleviate food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty.
• Role of goats are consequential to food and nutrition, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Excerpts: "Goats have been a part of evolution of human civilization tracing back to the Neolithic period. Goat milk and meat were exploited from the beginning of the middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic B in the Near East (Helmer et al., 2007). Goat is one the first domesticated ungulates. Initial goat domestication has been documented in the highlands of Western Iran at 10,000 calibrated calendar years (YBP) ago (Zeder and Hesse, 2000, Hermes et al., 2020). Domestic goats (Capra hircus) is believed to be domesticated from wild bezoar populations (Capra aegagrus) (Zeder, 2008). Evidence in genetic markers suggested that multiple divergent ancient wild goat sources were domesticated in a dispersed process that resulted in genetically and geographically distinct Neolithic goat populations (Daly et al., 2018). A large-scale mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis of wild and domestic goats suggested that area in Eastern Anatolia, Northern and Central Zagros to have been the domestication centers where almost all domestic goats were originally from (Naderi et al., 2008).

"Presence of high mtDNA diversity in Inner Asian Mountain Corridor and Central Kazakhstan suggested that herding communities living in montane ecosystems were drawing from genetically diverse goat populations in the Iranian Plateau (Hermes et al., 2020). Analyses of the nearly complete mitochondrial protein-encoding genes of the goat revealed that the timing of population expansion of goats occurred in the Late Pleistocene and predated the now believed the beginning of goat domestication, approximately 10,000 YBP (Nomura et al., 2013). Demographic analyses using Multiple Sequentially Markovian Coalescent suggested that the divergence times between modern Asian and European goat populations might have predated the archaeologically estimated domestication time (Zheng et al., 2020). These observations raised the possibility that goats might have been domesticated even earlier than 10,000 YBP.

"Domestication of goats has been closely related to human dispersal (Colli et al., 2018). Domesticated goats (Capra hircus) are at the subsistence core of pastoralist and farming communities around the world (Redding, 1984). From the Greek mythology of the half-human-half goat deity, Goat-knight Steed in the popular web series Critical Role, to Gogoat (Number 673 in Pokemon), goats have been part of history of human imagination. The roles of goats in the world are numerous, form entertainer, yoga enhancer, to food and fiber producer that has been an important part of life sustaining history of human civilization. The role of goats in nutrition, health, and food security is underscored by the continuous increase in global production and consumption of goat milk and meat."

Read more:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921448823001529

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#GoatFarming #GoatCheese #GoatMeat #Sustainability #HumanHistory #AnimalProducts #Methane

The advantages of #goats for future adaptation to #ClimateChange: A conceptual overview

by Nazan Koluman Darcan and Nissim Silanikove, June 2018

Highlights

• The advantages of goats to adapt climate change.
• Direct and indirect effects of climate change.
• Benefit from goats capacity to emit less methane.
• Future perspectives of goat farming for alleviate climate change effects.

Abstract:

"The economic importance of goat production has been increased during the last decades all over the world, predominantly in countries that are routinely exposed to harsh environment. Goats have numerous advantages that enable them to maintain their production under extreme climate conditions. Principally, goats have higher capacity than other farm raised ruminants to effectively convert some feed sources into milk and meat. In addition, goats emit less #methane than other domestic ruminants. Based on these advantages, we came to the conclusion that goat breeding will play an important role in mitigating and adapting to Climate change (CC) in harsh environments. The impacts of CC on goat production can be analyzed by considering direct or indirect effects of CC. The direct effects take into account goat’s physiology and their interaction with ambient conditions, as well as issues such as the optimal use of natural resource and waste management. Indirect effects consider limitations on goat production from political, social and economic considerations, which are mainly intended for decreasing the greenhouse gas emission effect. In this paper the advantages of goats for future adaptation to CC will be considered."

Source [includes snippets]:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921448817301098

#SolarPunkSunday #DairyGoats #GoatFarming #GoatCheese #AnimalProducts

#GoatMilk: Are There Health Benefits?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributor
Medically Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, RD, LD, MPH on September 23, 2024

Excerpts: "Goat milk is one of the most commonly consumed types of dairy in the world. In fact, nearly three quarters of the world's population consumes goat milk. This is partially due to the ease of keeping goats as opposed to cows in developing countries, where goat milk is an important source of calories, protein, and fats. In many countries, people express a preference for goat milk over cow milk.

"Goat milk is thicker and creamier than cow milk or plant milks, and goat milk has more nutrients that may offer health benefits. For example:

"Goat milk is not just a specialty beverage. Depending on your lifestyle, goat milk may be a better choice than cow or plant milk, as it offers a number of advantages:

High in Digestible Protein

"Compared to standard cow milk, soy milk, or nut milks, goat milk has more protein per serving. And, the protein in goat milk appears to be more digestible, meaning your body can use it more easily. Goat milk also contains significantly more protein than almond milk or rice milk."

Read more:
https://www.webmd.com/diet/goat-milk-are-there-health-benefits

#SolarPunkSunday #DairyGoats #GoatFarming #GoatMilk #GoatCheese #AnimalProducts

6 Ways #GoatFarming Impacts the Environment That Support #Sustainability

Excerpts: "Goats produce significantly less #methane than #cattle, emitting approximately 5 kg of methane annually compared to 70-120 kg from cows. Their efficient digestive systems extract more nutrients from fibrous plant material while generating fewer greenhouse gases. This lower methane output makes goats a more climate-friendly protein source, especially when raised on marginal lands unsuitable for crop production.

[...]

"Goats offer a chemical-free alternative for controlling #InvasivePlant species that threaten native #ecosystems. Their unique browsing habits target woody plants and weeds that other livestock avoid, effectively reducing invasives like #kudzu, poison ivy, and multiflora rose without #herbicides. You’ll find that targeted goat grazing preserves soil health and protects beneficial insects and microorganisms that chemical treatments typically harm.

[...]

"Goat #manure offers exceptional #composting potential due to its pellet form and balanced nutrient profile. When properly composted, these droppings transform into valuable organic fertilizer rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The composting process eliminates pathogens while preserving beneficial microorganisms that enhance soil structure. You’ll find that goat manure composts faster than cow manure—typically ready in 2-3 months versus 4-6 months for cattle waste."

Learn more:
https://www.farmstandapp.com/67170/6-ways-goat-farming-impacts-the-environment/

#SolarPunkSunday #AnimalProducts #Goats #GoatMilk #ClimateChange