Animals domesticated for working closely with humans (e.g. dogs) have been shown to be remarkable in adjusting their behaviour to human attentional stance. However, there is little evidence for this form of information perception in species domesticated for production rather than companionship. We tested domestic ungulates (goats) for their ability to differentiate attentional states of humans....

This study was performed in adult male goats in which seasonal variations were abolished by rapid alternations of long days and short days. These treatments have been shown previously to prevent seasonal changes in the hypothalamo-pituitary axis and to maintain testis weight and sperm production at a high level. The experimental groups were exposed for 3 years to an alternation of either a 1 mo...

The aims of the present study were to evaluate luteal activity in Abadeh ecotype goat during summer and winter and also the effect of a single dose kisspeptin-10 injection on the secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) in female anestrous goats. In the first study, progesterone (P4) concentration in 10 goats in summer (n = 6) and winter (n = 4) were measured every other day. Moreover, in summer g...

Although condensed tannins (CTs) are known to reduce forage intake by mammalian herbivores in controlled experiments, few studies have tested these effects in the field. Thus the role of CTs on foraging ecology of free-ranging herbivores is inadequately understood. To investigate the effects of CTs under natural savanna conditions, we pre-dosed groups of goats with polyethylene glycol (PEG, a C...

OBJECTIVE Purpose was to determine the effects of grazing system and floor type on concentrations of blood metabolites, activity of creatine kinase, body weight and carcass characteristics of castrated Nguni goats. METHODS Forty eight, 7 month old goats were randomly allocated to herding and tethering treatments from 0800 to 1300 hours and accommodated on slatted and earth floors daily. Blood...

Abortions and the economic losses they bring about is an important issue in sheep and goat husbandary. Despite many studies conducted on sheep and goats, the underlying reasons behind abortions could not be identified. In the present study, the role of immunologic factors in abortions seen among sheep and goats has been evaluated. The frequencies of anti-sperm antibodies (ASA), anti-zona pelluc...

This study was conducted to determine the electrophoretic pattern of serum protein in goats infected withBabesia ovis. Serum total protein was calculated and serum electrophoresis from 15 goats naturally infectedwith B. ovis as well as same number of healthy goats was performed. Microscopic examination of Giemsastained peripheral blood smears revealed B. ovis infection. The parasitological diag...

ba ck gr ou nd CBPP is a severe respiratory disease of cattle and buffalo caused by Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. mycoides biotype Small Colony (MmmSC). The agent of CBPP was recently isolated from goats at different times and places, even in areas free of CBPP. Thereby, goats should be considered a putative MmmSC reservoir. No test has been proposed so far for surveillance of CBPP in goats. Furth...

A grazing trial in Central Otago compared the effectiveness of feral goats, Angora goats and Merino sheep for sweet brier control. The three ammal types were set stocked in replicate 0.5 ha paddocks at 10 Angoras, 14 ferals and 12 Merinos per ha. Goats were also rotationally grazed on a 50 ha block at approximately 10 goats per ha. Goat grazing reduced living brie, in the trial paddocks to negl...

Among all the transgenic mammalians produced so far, goats have represented an excellent model of transgenesis when considering the factors such as the market demand for protein, volume of milk produced per lactation and reproductive rate. Various recombinant proteins have been obtained from the transgenic and non-transgenic goats, and among these, human antithrombin, produced by the transgenic...