Difference Between Sheep And Goats

726 Words2 Pages

Writing Assignment 11 1. Cattle, sheep, and goats are all ruminant animals. This means that they are able to rely heavily on forage and do not need very much concentrate feed. 2. The three major species used in the range livestock industry are cattle, sheep, and goats. 3. The higher the level of agricultural development, the more likely it is that cattle will be kept to produce a single salable product, either meat or milk. 4. The lower the level of agricultural development, the less important cattle are as a producer of meat, and the more important sheep (and goats) become as a source of meat. 5. In a developed country, when goats are produced the area is usually only for them because the conditions are too dry to raise sheep or cattle and …show more content…

The herding instinct in sheep is crucial because it allows a person with only a couple of sheep dogs to keep their flock together. 12. Sheep are not numerous in humid tropics because they are not able to handle hot/humid conditions and they are susceptible to internal parasites which are prevalent in humid tropics. 13. Goats tend to compete with sheep versus than with cattle for available forage. One reason for this is that they eat forage that is lower to the ground ruling out cattle. However, in developed agriculture, sheep with be chosen over goats because of their profit potential. Although when the level of agriculture declines, goats will be more numerous except in high altitude areas. Goats are more adapted to drier conditions than sheep and in tropical conditions as …show more content…

Goats receive much blame for desertification in dry areas of the world although it is not their fault. Yes their low to the ground grazing style can deteriorate grass during drought and their hooves can expedite the process of erosion, but it is not their error. Man should shoulder the blame for desertification. This is because humans are not adequately managing the goats allowing them to overgraze. Instead humans should be placing goats in situations that allows them to reach their potential of being the best agricultural species for dry environments. 15. In hot/dry primitive agriculture, both fat-tailed and fat-rumped sheep are present. The fat on the sheep serves as insulation and energy storage. Since it is hot, the insulation is not needed, but the energy storage is crucial to the sheep. In these harsh and hot conditions, the fat on the tail/rump can make up a fourth of third of the sheep’s total weight. This bundle of fat can allow the animal to survive much longer than if it were not there because of the energy they can derive from it. 16. The most important deciding factor in the choice of animal species in a developed agriculture is

Open Document