First results on structural and productive characteristics of the farms included in the Catalonian Dairy Goat Farmers Association

摘要

Results of an inquiry of 11 dairy goat farms included in the Catalonian Dairy Goat Farmers Association (ARCC) in 1996 are presented. Murciano-Granadina goat was the predominant dairy breed, although there were also Malaguena and Saanen breeds. The average flock size was 239 goats, with a replacement rate of 24.5 percent. Mean reproductive rate was 40 goats/male and most of the farmers performed a discontinuous breeding system without hormonal treatment. On 7 farms, goats went on pasture while in the other 4, they were kept indoors. Mean total surface was 248 ha of which 232 ha were woodland area and 14 ha cultivated area. All the dairies were family farms with a total 1.7 Annual Work Units. Most of the farms had a double platform Casse system, working at a vacuum pressure of 40 kPa, a pulsation rate of 90 pulses/min. and a pulsation ratio of 66 percent. On 6 farms, where milk recording was implemented in 1996. milk yield was 454 L in 210 days with 5.4 percent of fat and 3.8 percent of total prote