Description and characteristics of Megrelian goats, conditions of their keeping

The Megrelian dairy goat firmly occupies an honorable place in zoo farms in Western Georgia and Azerbaijan. Magnificent cheese, delicate cottage cheese and high-quality butter are made from the milk of the horned beauty. The Megrelian goat does not require special attention, gets sick very rarely and is not picky about its diet. The pet is distinguished by rare fertility.


Description and productivity of Megrelian goats

The homeland of charming animals is cozy, sunny Megrelia. The historical corner is located in the western part of Georgia. This is where the ancestors of the horned beauties lived. The breed combines the best qualities inherent in local dairy goats:

  1. The representative of the horned tribe is distinguished by its large size - its height reaches 64-70 cm.
  2. A strong bone system is successfully combined with an elongated body shape.
  3. By adulthood, the animal gains 36-46 kg. The tallest individuals can weigh up to 60 kg. The weight of males is 57-60 kg. Large specimens gain weight up to 90 kg.
  4. The straight back smoothly transitions into a wide, slightly lowered sacrum.
  5. The pet's graceful head is crowned with a pair of intricately curved horns. Their shape resembles the letter S.
  6. Erect ears and a neat beard give the animal a pretty appearance.
  7. The goat's slender, strong legs are equipped with strong hooves.
  8. The elastic, large udder of the animal is shaped like a cone.
  9. The pet's coarse, short fur is colored white or light shades of red, gray and roan.

Megrelian goats are of two types: highland and lowland. Animals belonging to the mountain type are somewhat larger than their fellow tribesmen. The Megrelian goat is extremely fertile and often pleases owners with the appearance of twins. The pet gives a lot of milk - its annual milk yield is 350-400 kg. With good care and a well-designed diet, milk yield doubles. In some cases, the figures reach 900 kg.

Megrelian goat milk is very tasty and nutritious. The fat content of the product is 4-4.5%. Goat milk is used to make excellent feta cheese, cottage cheese, butter and cheese. The breed is widespread in South Ossetia, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Positive and negative aspects of the breed

For all their advantages, Megrelian goats have some disadvantages. By taking into account the nuances of the animals, the farmer can achieve good results.

megrelian goat

Positive qualities of the breed:

  1. Goats are extremely picky and prefer to eat pasture. Animals gain weight well in high mountains and on lowland pastures.
  2. Unpretentious pets do not require increased attention and special care.
  3. Representatives of the Megrelian breed rarely get sick.

Unfortunately, pets do not adapt well to cold climates, so animals are not suitable for breeding in areas with harsh climatic conditions. This quality can be attributed to the significant disadvantages of the breed.

Features of maintenance and care

The animals are kept in a dry, draft-free goat barn. The room should be spacious. To keep one pet, an area of ​​at least 1.5 m is required. For a goat with offspring, an apartment with an area of ​​2.5 m is required. For a male, it is enough to allocate 2 m, and a growing kid needs a living space of at least 3 m.

In winter, the air temperature in the goat's rue is maintained in the range from +6 to -6 degrees. Maintaining temperature is important when there are small kids in the herd. Bucks are separated from females and kept in a separate room.

Keeping animals separate helps avoid unplanned contacts. Megrelian goats can be kept in free grazing conditions. In this case, a special shed is arranged for the animals. Under shelter, pets hide from the sweltering heat and precipitation. Animals are given plenty of water before being sent out to pasture. This technique helps to distract pets from drinking from puddles.

On hot days, animals are given water at least 2 times a day. In winter, goats get plenty of fluids by eating wet food. During this period, water consumption is reduced, so animals are given warm water only once a day.

Under no circumstances should you give cold water to animals that are in a hot state. The procedure puts the animals at risk of catching a cold. Feeders and drinking bowls are installed at chest level for adult pets. Dishes for children are placed slightly above floor level. It is prohibited to use feeders made of galvanized material.

megrelian goat

Feeding rules

The regular diet of pets includes barley, oats, and corn grains. It is useful for goats to be given a feed mixture of chopped beets, carrots, cabbage and steamed oats. Add boiled potato peelings to pet food. Compound feed is added to feeders containing prepared food. Feed salt is poured into special containers. This product is extremely important for the normal development of animals. The additive is added at the rate of 8 kg of salt per adult. For small kids, the salt dosage is reduced.

In winter, hay, brooms from branches of deciduous trees and pine needles are added to the pets' diet. Nutritious bouquets are hung just above the level of the tops of the animals’ heads. This way pets can reach them. Animal feeding regimen:

  1. In the morning, goats are given chopped root vegetables and grain.
  2. During the day, pets are treated to well-dried hay.
  3. In the evening, the animals' feeders are filled with crushed grain and hay.

In summer, goats mainly feed on fresh grass. The animals spend the warm months in the highlands, and with the onset of autumn, the pets are sent to graze on the plain.

All about lambing

A goat's pregnancy lasts 21-22 weeks. Shortly before giving birth, the pet is separated from the herd. The goat's rue is disinfected and ventilated. The floor is covered with a thick layer of clean hay. Separate nurseries are being built for future children. Each goat should have at least 2 m of area.The nursery is equipped with a convenient feeding trough and drinking bowl.

Expert:
Changes in the behavior and appearance of the goat indicate that birth is approaching. The animal is agitated and may lose its appetite. The udder enlarges and the genitals swell.

After lambing, the pet is transferred to a light diet. As a rule, the baby goat is fed artificially. To do this, you need to stock up on a bottle and pacifier. On the first day of life, the baby is treated to colostrum. In the next 24 hours, every 4 hours the kid is given warm fresh milk from a bottle. After 3 days, the baby begins to be given complementary foods in the form of oatmeal. On day 10, the kid is allowed to try the hay.

For 2-3 months, fresh milk remains the main food product for the baby. Then the portions of milk are gradually reduced. If the birth of a kid occurred in the summer, at the age of 1 month the baby is sent to a common pasture.

Frequent illnesses

Megrelian goats have strong immunity, but sometimes they can suffer from the following diseases:

  1. Inflammation of the hoof. The pet falls on its healthy leg and prefers to be in a lying position. Treatment consists of washing the hoof with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and treating the sore spot with iodine and Vishnevsky ointment.
  2. Poisoning. Trouble awaits your pet when it eats poisonous herbs. The goat suffers from diarrhea and vomiting. The animal behaves restlessly, sighs heavily, groans and grinds its teeth. First aid consists of gastric lavage. Before the veterinarian arrives, you can give your pet activated charcoal. The rest of the treatment is prescribed by the veterinarian.
  3. Inflammation of the udder. The disease affects recently lambed goats. The cause of the trouble is hypothermia. A cold compress made from a decoction of mother liquor and gourd will help cope with the disease.
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