Ruminants, a short summary
WE are all familiar with the family cow. But did you know that goats and sheep also fit into their four-stomached category?
Ruminants are animals that process vegetation through a stomach with four compartments. These critters are strictly herbivores and require roughage in their diet. These are also livestock that humans use to get milk and meat from.
America is the most familiar with cattle, while the rest of the world sets its focus on goats and sheep depending on their climate. Goats are farmed in areas that are arid, dry and hot. On the other hand, sheep are mostly farmed in regions with plentiful rain and experience cold extremes.
Cows, or bovines, and sheep are grazing animals. They forage for grasses and vegetation closer to the ground. Both of these species are larger than goats. Goats are smaller animals that have a different style of foraging than the aforementioned animals above. Goats browse like deer, eating broad-leafed plants and bark.
Cattle are often used for leather and high production rates. Sheep are farmed for predominantly meat and wool. They do produce very high quality milk, but is so low in quantity that most homesteads and small farms are not based on dairy sheep. Goats are like cows on a much smaller scale. Like cattle, most breeds of goats are either mainly meat or dairy.
Another important distinction between these three is their land and feed requirements. Cows are very heavy producers and the largest of the ruminant livestock. They require vast amounts of land and lots of feed to maintain and gain body weight. Sheep require much less space and feed than cattle but more than most goats. Goats can require as much space as a small breed sheep or can be kept in backyards. Such breeds of goats are Nigerian, Pygmy, or other miniature breeds.
The species you decide to keep should be based on your goals and your limits (land, time, expenses, neighbors, etc.). If selecting for a dual purpose animals but leaning towards more milk on less land, goats will be the most efficient. If you want large quantities of meat with less milk, cows will be your best investment. If you want a fibre animal that is good at putting on meat and has very little milk production, you should venture to look into sheep.
Ruminants are animals that process vegetation through a stomach with four compartments. These critters are strictly herbivores and require roughage in their diet. These are also livestock that humans use to get milk and meat from.
America is the most familiar with cattle, while the rest of the world sets its focus on goats and sheep depending on their climate. Goats are farmed in areas that are arid, dry and hot. On the other hand, sheep are mostly farmed in regions with plentiful rain and experience cold extremes.
Cows, or bovines, and sheep are grazing animals. They forage for grasses and vegetation closer to the ground. Both of these species are larger than goats. Goats are smaller animals that have a different style of foraging than the aforementioned animals above. Goats browse like deer, eating broad-leafed plants and bark.
Cattle are often used for leather and high production rates. Sheep are farmed for predominantly meat and wool. They do produce very high quality milk, but is so low in quantity that most homesteads and small farms are not based on dairy sheep. Goats are like cows on a much smaller scale. Like cattle, most breeds of goats are either mainly meat or dairy.
Another important distinction between these three is their land and feed requirements. Cows are very heavy producers and the largest of the ruminant livestock. They require vast amounts of land and lots of feed to maintain and gain body weight. Sheep require much less space and feed than cattle but more than most goats. Goats can require as much space as a small breed sheep or can be kept in backyards. Such breeds of goats are Nigerian, Pygmy, or other miniature breeds.
The species you decide to keep should be based on your goals and your limits (land, time, expenses, neighbors, etc.). If selecting for a dual purpose animals but leaning towards more milk on less land, goats will be the most efficient. If you want large quantities of meat with less milk, cows will be your best investment. If you want a fibre animal that is good at putting on meat and has very little milk production, you should venture to look into sheep.