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The aim of this work was to study some of the teat characteristics involved in the milking ability of dairy ewes, such as the vacuum level of the milking machine that is required for the opening of the teat canal sphincter, and the changes in the teat end wall thickness induced by milking. After weaning, 48 ewes of the mountainous Greek breed, Boutsiko (16 ewes of the first, 16 of the second and 16 of the third and subsequent lactations) were milked for 12 weeks. Every 14 days, during the morning and evening milking, milk fractions and composition were recorded. The vacuum level that is required for the opening of teat sphincter (VOTS) was also measured before milking. The measurement of teat end wall thickness (TEWT) was performed before and after milking and the milk flow was monitored during the morning milking only. The results of this study show that during the experimental period, the ewes had a mean daily milk yield of 862.9 ml, of which the 173.3 ml corresponded to the machine stripped milk (MSM). The mean VOTS was 16.59 ± 0.7 kPa and tended to decrease as the stage of lactation progressed. The TEWT (4.75 ± 0.04 mm) was not modified by milking. A continuous and significant decrease in teat thickness (from 5.03 to 4.3 mm, P < 0.05) was observed, which suggests a reaction to intramammary pressure and milk quantity in the gland. Parity was affected significantly (P < 0.001) only the TEWT. The type of birth did not influence the VOTS and TEWT. Phenotypic correlations showed that by increasing the VOTS, the machine stripped milk increased as well, and so did the TEWT. These results give rise to the need for a possible reduction of the current vacuum level (44 kPa), which should be applied in the milking of this particular mountainous Greek breed of sheep.

The goat was the first animal domesticated to produce for the consumer. The geographic occurrence of this phenomenon, combined with the location of the cradle of the first known civilisations (Mesopotamia), contributed to the direct connection of the goat to all phases of life of the people who created and developed civilisation in the area now known as the Middle East. The presence of the goat in all sectors of ancient societies has continued to the present, particularly in religion, economy, nutrition and tradition. Breeding goats was important during Greco-Roman times, Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Goat farming reached a turning point in the 18th century in Europe when distinct populations emerged through selected breeding from the basic European, Asian and African goat populations. In the 19th century, a change in the social structure and in production methods was observed. Specialisation in agricultural production replaced traditional farming, aimed at supplying growing urban populations. Other historical events affected the process. Large imports of wool from the southern hemisphere forced prices down, frustrating sheep breeders in Europe many of whom switched to goat farming. Early in the 20th century, the goat population of Europe was forcibly reduced (except Greece) due, inter alia, to stringent laws that discriminated against goats, as ‘a threat to the environment’, particularly in forested areas. Conditions prevailing today are fairly complex. Problems and prospects vary by region, which consequently have different cultural and economic implications. Both global and regional approaches to livestock farming are important from the economic aspect of developed and developing nations. Rapidly increasing goat populations in developing countries, point to the goat assisting in solving some of the needs created by the rising human populations. Goat farming in Europe also has a more positive outlook after nearly a century of a negative reputation. Dairy-goat farming is significant to the economies of the Mediterranean countries. The goat is clearly not synonymous with under-development and poverty. Improving access to scientific information through research and extension services must benefit the goat industries of developing regions where the demand is increasing due to growing human populations and their associated needs. Consumer's acceptance of high quality goat products coupled to longstanding cultural traditions sets a positive outlook for the goat sector in the developed countries. It remains important though that appropriate policies are implemented for each situation.

The reported study investigates the relationship between animals and pasture in an effort to improve the management of sheep in West Macedonia, Greece. The experiment was conducted at the Animal Breeding and Training Center of Vlasti, Kozani's district during 1994, 1995 and 1996. Five different altitudes of the region were examined in the study to record botanical composition and herbage yield under grazing conditions. The botanical composition of herbage of pasture was dominated by graminaceous species (63–71% of total species). The average yield of herbage was 1910 kg DM/ha. The average utilization of herbage mass was 86%. Declines in herbage yield and nutritive value occurred as a result of seasonal changes, which were affected by temperature and precipitation. The grassland was overgrazed and had the overgrazing continued the future productivity of the pasture would have decreased and the botanical composition would have been altered.

Effects of vacuum level, pulsation rate and pulsator ratio on machine milking efficiency in local Greek goats were studied in three separate experiments lasting 12, 10 and 11 weeks in three different years. After weaning (49 days) all goats were milked for 14 days at a vacuum level 44 kPa, a 90-pulsations/min and a 50:50 pulsator ratio (this 2-week interval was considered the familiarization period). In the first experiment, three groups (treatments) of goats were subjected to 70, 90 and 120 pulsations/min at milking. For the second experiment another three groups were milked with a vacuum level of 36, 44 and 52 kPa. For the third and final experiment, three pulsator ratios; 65:35, 50:50, 35:65 were compared in three groups. Results suggest that a faster rate (120 pulsations/min) and a higher vacuum level (52 kPa) decreased the percentages of machine milk (MM; from 60.6 to 55.1% for the rate and from 77.3 to 67.9% for the vacuum) and total machine milk (TMM) while increasing the percentage of machine stripped milk (MSM) and hand stripped milk (HSM; from 17.1 to 20.3% for the rate and from 5.7 to 10.0% for the vacuum). Milking time decreased as vacuum levels increased from 36 to 52 kPa and as pulsator ratios increased from 35:65 to 50:50 and 65:35. The pulsator ratio did not modify the percentage of the above milk fractions (MM, MSM, HSM and TMM) but did increase the average milking rate. Optimum conditions for machine milking of local Greek goats appears to be a vacuum level of 36–44 kPa, a pulsation rate of 70–90 and a pulsator ratio of 65:35.

The effects of month of lambing, level of feeding and number of lactation periods on milk yield, duration of lactation period and prolificacy of Karagouniko ewes were studied in the region of West Thessaly in Greece. In two consecutive production periods (1980–1981 and 1982-1982), 1416 lactation records collected from 21 dairy sheep units were analysed. These data represent a good random samples of − 30% of the records available in the Milk Recording Scheme. The lambing period October–December favourably influenced milk yield, while the late lambing period January–February was associated with a short milking period and low milk production. Statistically significant increases in milk yield and prolificacy resulted as a function of the successive lactation periods ( P P