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Product review
Animal Feed Science and Technology 74 (1998) 85±86
Book Review The Nutrition of goats The Nutrition of Goats, AFRC Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients Report no. 10, CAB International, Oxon, UK, 118pp, softback, ISBN 0-85-199126-1 Between 1987 and 1994 the AFRC, through their Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients, published a series of 10 reports dealing with the characterization of feedstuffs and nutritive requirements of farm animals, the last of which dealt with the nutrition of goats. Of these reports, which were published in Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews, five were used as the basis of an advisory manual on Energy and Protein Requirements of Ruminants, compiled and published in 1993. This compilation contained about 15 pages which dealt with the nutrition of goats. The full report on the nutrition of goats has now (1998) been republished as a nice-looking and handsome booklet of 118 pages. On its back cover the book is announced as ``A comprehensive review of published information on the body composition and digestive physiology of temperate zone goats, the composition of their products, meat, milk and fibre, their voluntary feed intake and their associated energy, protein, mineral and vitamin requirements.'' And indeed, that is what it is. After and introductory Chapter 1, in which the need for information on the nutrition of goats is justified, the report contains a series of chapters (2 through 8) in which in a comprehensive and systematic way all aspects of goat nutrition are dealt with. Although information was sometimes scarce, Chapter 2 gives a valuable compilation of information known on the composition of goat products, including body and carcass, milk, and fibre. Then, in Chapter 3, very briefly, aspects of the digestive physiology of goats are discussed, primarily emphasizing differences and similarities with cattle and sheep. The next chapter deals with feed intake and again differences with cattle and sheep are emphasized, but stating also that more research is needed on feed intake in goats, notably in kids. Chapters 4 and 5 on Energy and Protein follow the same lines as other ruminant species. Fasting metabolic rate and energy requirements for maintenance in goats appear to be considerably higher than in sheep and approach that in cattle. Energy utilization for other purposes was also very similar as in cattle, notably lactating animals of both species appear very similar. Protein supply and utilization also follows patterns very similar to other ruminant species. Mineral metabolism and requirements (Chapter 7) in goats appear 0377-8401/98/$19.00 # 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
86
Book Review
very similar to that in cattle and sheep, except that indications were found for copper tolerance of goats to be in between that of cattle and sheep. In the final chapter (8) useful information is provided on a number of more practical aspects of goat production and feeding systems. The book concludes with a comprehensive subject index, which makes it valuable as an easy to use reference. Indeed, as stated on the back cover, it represents a comprehensive and authoritative review which seems very valuable for advanced students, research workers and advisors in animal nutrition as well as for progressive goat farmers. S. TAMMINGA Group Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Science, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, NL PII S0377-8401 (98) 00166-7
Book Review The Nutrition of goats The Nutrition of Goats, AFRC Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients Report no. 10, CAB International, Oxon, UK, 118pp, softback, ISBN 0-85-199126-1 Between 1987 and 1994 the AFRC, through their Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients, published a series of 10 reports dealing with the characterization of feedstuffs and nutritive requirements of farm animals, the last of which dealt with the nutrition of goats. Of these reports, which were published in Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews, five were used as the basis of an advisory manual on Energy and Protein Requirements of Ruminants, compiled and published in 1993. This compilation contained about 15 pages which dealt with the nutrition of goats. The full report on the nutrition of goats has now (1998) been republished as a nice-looking and handsome booklet of 118 pages. On its back cover the book is announced as ``A comprehensive review of published information on the body composition and digestive physiology of temperate zone goats, the composition of their products, meat, milk and fibre, their voluntary feed intake and their associated energy, protein, mineral and vitamin requirements.'' And indeed, that is what it is. After and introductory Chapter 1, in which the need for information on the nutrition of goats is justified, the report contains a series of chapters (2 through 8) in which in a comprehensive and systematic way all aspects of goat nutrition are dealt with. Although information was sometimes scarce, Chapter 2 gives a valuable compilation of information known on the composition of goat products, including body and carcass, milk, and fibre. Then, in Chapter 3, very briefly, aspects of the digestive physiology of goats are discussed, primarily emphasizing differences and similarities with cattle and sheep. The next chapter deals with feed intake and again differences with cattle and sheep are emphasized, but stating also that more research is needed on feed intake in goats, notably in kids. Chapters 4 and 5 on Energy and Protein follow the same lines as other ruminant species. Fasting metabolic rate and energy requirements for maintenance in goats appear to be considerably higher than in sheep and approach that in cattle. Energy utilization for other purposes was also very similar as in cattle, notably lactating animals of both species appear very similar. Protein supply and utilization also follows patterns very similar to other ruminant species. Mineral metabolism and requirements (Chapter 7) in goats appear 0377-8401/98/$19.00 # 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved
86
Book Review
very similar to that in cattle and sheep, except that indications were found for copper tolerance of goats to be in between that of cattle and sheep. In the final chapter (8) useful information is provided on a number of more practical aspects of goat production and feeding systems. The book concludes with a comprehensive subject index, which makes it valuable as an easy to use reference. Indeed, as stated on the back cover, it represents a comprehensive and authoritative review which seems very valuable for advanced students, research workers and advisors in animal nutrition as well as for progressive goat farmers. S. TAMMINGA Group Animal Nutrition, Department of Animal Science, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, NL PII S0377-8401 (98) 00166-7