%0 Journal Article
%T Evaluation of the Mineral Status of Two Ecosystems for Sustainable Goat Rearing in the Iberian Peninsula
%A David Vilallonga
%A Antonio Jim¨¦nez
%A Joaqu¨ªn S¨¢nchez
%A Santiago Andr¨¦s
%J Veterinary Medicine International
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/853548
%X The mineral status in two ecosystems typical of the Iberian Peninsula was evaluated. Ecosystem I was formed by forests and ecosystem II by hilly areas. The levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and selenium in soils, rations and serum were measured. The concentratons of iron, copper, zinc and selenium were also checked in liver. Ecosystem I showed higher values of every mineral, except for phosphorus. Seasonal differences were recorded for rations and serum, with higher values in spring. The rations produced by both ecosystems met the mineral requirements of goats in lactation. Thus, both ecosystems are suitable for the development of an ecological goat farming system. However, extra supply of minerals, particularly calcium, may be needed in the maximum productions periods. 1. Introduction Goat farming in the Mediterranean basin has been traditionally very important. This area accounts for an important part of the global goat stock. The importance of goat farming in this part of the world comes from two aspects. The first is the management of marginal areas, which are unsuitable for raising other domestic herbivore species. The second is to help to maintain the rural settlements, which have traditionally lost population due to the lack of local resources [1]. The best way to fulfil these objectives could be to adapt the traditional extensive goat rearing in ecological livestock production. Ecological livestock rearing is an emerging face of agricultural activity that does not degrade the environment and helps in its sustainability. These benefits have been recognized by the agricultural policy of the European Union (EU), which promotes ecological practices by EU subsidies [2]. In the goat farms of the Mediterranean countries, the main product is milk, which is mostly delivered for cheese making. Suckling and weaned kids are used for meat. These products are successfully marketed, especially if they are ecologically produced. Thus, ecological goat farming could benefit from better prices [3]. In the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, the production of domestic herbivores has adapted to the traditional Mediterranean forest, giving rise to two distinct ecosystems. The first one called ¡°dehesa¡± in Spain and ¡°montado¡± in Portugal and the second ecosystem and called ¡°sierra¡± in Spain and ¡°serra¡± in Portugal [4]. One of the most limiting factors of these production systems would be to satisfy the requirements for essential minerals, as calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, and selenium, which play fundamental roles in the
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/vmi/2012/853548/