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This chapter presents a review of the North-African goats, with particular focus on their current state, constraints and research prospects and development. In recent years, goat milk and meat have become acceptable and recognized as the source of healthy nutrient in the Maghreb countries. However, goat populations are generally confronted with severe nutritional deficits during feed scarcity period which exacerbate disease and health troubles and consequently low performances. They are mainly elevated in small herds and their productions are commercialized throughout an informal sector. Thus, if the informal sector is to be convinced to market goats commercially through formal ways, then knowledge of the economics of goat farming should be provided in the Maghreb countries. Under the economics of farming goat, we will investigate the trend in the demand and supply of goat milk or meat, trend in the number of goats slaughtered, and the cost of raising goats in the Maghreb region. We are going to evaluate the economics and profitability of goats as farm animal and their marketing strategies in the Maghreb region.

The aim of this study was thus to investigate the effect vacuum level on udder traits, milking time, milk yield and components in Tunisian Sicilo-Srade ewes. Trial was carried out at the UCPA farm of Gnadil-Béja (Tunisia) among 3 periods of late lactation where 3 vacuum levels (40, 50 and 60 kPa) were applied for each one. Udder traits were measured before each milking, and milking time and milk amount were recorded. Milk total solids (TS), fat, solids not fat (SNF), protein, lactose, milk urea nitrogen (MUN) and somatic cell counts (SCC) were determined. Significant effects of lactation day were observed on udder traits with the exception of teats length. Machine milking time and milk yield were the highest at the beginning of the experiment. Excepting somatic cell counts and milk urea nitrogen, the highest values of milk components were observed at the intermediate period of experiment. Significant effects of vacuum level on machine milking time and milk yield were observed, where values are the highest with the low (40 kPa) and the intermediate (50 kPa) vacuum levels, respectively. Similarly, milk solids not fat content was higher in the groups of 40 and 50 kPa than that of 60 kPa. Contrarily to protein content, milk fat obtained with 50 kPa was higher than those of 40 and 60 kPa. In conclusion, the use of a medium vacuum level of 50 kPa seems to be the suitable choice at late lactation in the dairy Sicilo-Sarde ewe with more efficient of milking performances and any detrimental effects on udder health.

International audience; Although sheep are known to be seasonal breeders and give birth in winter, not all of them follow this trend. A few breeds can be mated and give birth all year round, meaning that mothers and neonates will have to face contrasting climatic conditions. The aim of this study was to test whether lambing season affects maternal and neonatal behaviors in D’man sheep. During four different lambing seasons (winter, autumn, summer, spring), periparturient ewes (n = 111) and their lambs (n = 213) were kept under 24-h-video surveillance in order to record post-partum behaviors. Mother-young preference was tested around 48 h after parturition. Lamb vigor was studied by the determination of birth weight, early postnatal behavior and rectal temperature at birth and 48 h later. Litter expulsion time was not affected by lambing season but birth weight was biased against summer and winter born lambs. Ewes provided a higher intensity of care to their offspring in winter: latency for grooming was shorter and time spent grooming was longer compared to lambing in spring and summer (P = 0.01 in all cases). On the other hand, lambs were the most active in spring as they were faster to extend their hind legs (P = 0.01), stand up (P = 0.04) and reach the udder (P = 0.04). Rectal temperature at 48 h was affected by season of birth (P < 0.001) with higher values observed in summer. Glycaemia variation between birth and 48 h was the lowest in spring born lambs and plasma levels increased less in spring born lambs than in winter (P < 0.0001), autumn (P < 0.0001) and summer born lambs (P < 0.0001). In the choice test, mothers clearly preferred their own young and no season effect was detected except that in the first minute of the test they spent less time near their own young in winter than in the other seasons (P = 0.04). Lambs also chose their mother successfully without any major effect of the season however, but winter born lambs were the least vocal (P = 0.01). Overall, this study show that maternal care, lamb behavior and vigor vary lightly according to seasons, albeit not in a consistent manner. In conclusion, a season is no more detrimental than another for the onset of mother-young relationships. Keywords: parturition, maternal behavior, neonate behavior, bonding, glycaemia

The effect of prolificacy on mother-young mutual recognition is still largely unknown in sheep. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of prolific ewes to develop an exclusive bond with their neonate and to recognize each other from alien subjects. Observations were performed on 11 D'man and 16 Romanov ewes with, respectively, 19 and 37 of their lambs. Maternal selectivity was tested at 24 h postpartum during two consecutive periods of 3 min. All mothers accepted their own lambs at suckling, while 21 out of 27 (78%) rejected the alien, thus displaying mostly selective nursing. To assess mother-young recognition, a two-choice test was performed at 36 h postpartum. Ewes clearly preferred their own lambs to an alien lamb and behavioral differences were not found between mothers of small (singletons and twins) and large litters (triplets and quadruplets). Romanov ewes reached their own lambsmore rapidly and spent more time near them than D'man ewes. Lambs from small litters, in particular light lambs, clearly preferred their mothers to an alien dam; however, both light and heavy lambs in large litters did not discriminate between the two stimulus ewes. D'man lambs clearly preferred their mothers to an alien dam; in contrast, such a preference was not as clearly demonstrated in Romanov lambs.

This work aimed to investigate milk potentiality and the influence of some non-genetic factors both on milk yield production and composition in prolific D’man sheep. Observations were performed in eighty lactating D’man ewes maintained under an intensive oases system in Southern Tunisia. Daily milk yield was determined at 7-day intervals using oxytocin + hand milking method. Chemical milk composition was determined by Lactoscan. Total productions over lactation (milk, fat, and protein) were estimated using the Fleischmann method. Daily milk yield averaged 1.64 ± 0.02 l. It increased to a plateau from the third to the fourth week of lactation, and decreased gradually to the tenth week. D’man ewes produced 128.91 ± 3.14 l of milk, 9.23 ± 0.26 kg of fat, and 5.26 ± 0.12 kg of total proteins. Overall, milk contained 16.17% of total solids, 7.08% of fat, 4.04% of proteins, 4.32% of lactose, 9.09% of solids-not-fat, and 0.73% of ash. Lambing season affected the daily milk yield and milk composition, where fat and total proteins were highest in autumn. Total solids, lactose, solids-not-fat, and ash were higher in winter than in autumn and summer. Ewes reared multiple lambs produced more milk than those reared singles. Dams nursing triplets or more had the highest milk total proteins, and the lowest total solids and fat levels. Adult ewes produced more milk compared to younger and older ewes, and their milk contained higher total solids, fat, and ash levels than milk from young ewes. Ewes with asymmetric udder produced less and more concentrated milk than ewes with symmetrical udder. Daily milk yield was negatively correlated to total solids, fat, and total proteins amounts. In contrast, litter survival at weaning was positively correlated to the amounts of total milk, fat, and total proteins.