In vita and at slaughter performances of kids naturally reared in Molise

Abstract

The world importance of goat husbandry as a genetic source for the production of meat, milk, textile fibre and skin, especially in tropical and sub-tropical areas and in Developing Countries is wide documented (Husain et al., 1996). Goat rearing annually produce about 177.6 millions tons of milk (FAO, 1992) and about 3.5 millions tons of meat (FAO, 1996), with an increasing request of product, that in the last decade has driven the increase of the number of heads reared (Knights et al., 1997). Because of the peculiar behaviour of goats, the above mentioned increase has been observed mainly in Developing Countries as well as in marginal lands of the Mediterranean areas (Southern Italy and Greece, in particular). In Molise, for instance, an increase in goats consistency has been recorded over 15 years (AIA, 1997). The emerging requests by the final consumer of typical and healthy products with origin and quality certified have also contributed to the survival of certain goats population as an exploitation tool of marginal lands, otherwise voted to be abandoned...

Keywords

• kids, meat, natural rearing, performance.