**Genetics**

expected level of production and can now be found in almost every goat-keeper country; however, these breeds are mainly dominant in Europe. This is the main reason why goat's

The relationship between the environment and production systems used and the products made is summarised in the seventeenth chapter of this book. There are several advantages and some disadvantages to the animals, the environment and especially to the farmers.

In Jordan, goats are kept mainly for meat production and less for milk, skin and fibre, and the production system is based on the utilisation of low-quality roughage. The eighteenth chapter shows how the extensive production system is being gradually shifted toward

The changing production system and the traditional way of goat keeping in Lebanon are

goat's milk products, but this demand could not be served from the goat's milk produced

General Director of Sheep and Goat Products' Board and Inter-professional Organisation

President of Hungarian Sheep- and Goat Dairying Public Utility Association

more intensive way of production using feeds grown on arable lands.

summarised in the nineteenth chapter of this book. There is

– considering the number of goats kept

– than in

a

a rising demand for traditional

**Sándor Kukovics**

Hungary

milk production is much higher in Europe

other continents of the world.

XIV Preface

using traditional systems.

**Chapter 1**

**Provisional chapter**

**Molecular Genetics and Genome Biology of Goats**

Information on goat genome has led to a better understanding of the genetics of goats, its response to infection and the underlying immune response mechanism. Natural productbased therapeutic can therefore be utilized to target genes important for goat immunity. In this chapter, we have summarized the effect of diet and dietary supplements as immune modulators in goats. These modulators affect the expression of genes and secreted proteins associated with innate and adaptive immune response and homeostasis. Probiotics, mushroom extracts, plant polyphenol extracts, Sericea lespedeza (SL) and cowpea diet affect key molecular pathways including Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway, Wnt signaling pathway and cytokine-mediated signaling pathway. Results from various studies reviewed in this chapter suggest that utilization of dietary immunomodulators

**Keywords:** blood, gene expression, transcription, translation, modulation, innate

The domestic goat (*Capra hircus*) is an important farm and companion animal species. They are descendants of the bezoar (*Capra aegagrus*) goat. The world goat population has been on the increase during the last three decades and is estimated to be 1 billion with the global genetic diversity characterized by more than 590 breeds [1]. Breeds have various advantageous characteristics such as adaptation to harsh environmental conditions, capacity to convert poor quality fibrous feedstuff into animal proteins and resistance to diseases. Known as 'the poor man's cow,' goats are primarily reared for meat production, but different breeds of goat are often used as a source of milk and wool. Goats are also used for carrying small loads

**Molecular Genetics and Genome Biology of Goats**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.72414

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution,

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Kingsley Ekwemalor, Sarah Adjei-Fremah, Emmanuel Asiamah and Mulumebet Worku

Kingsley Ekwemalor, Sarah Adjei-Fremah, Emmanuel Asiamah and Mulumebet Worku

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

has beneficial effects on goat health and production.

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.72414

immunity, homeostasis

and for land management and kept as pets.

**1. Introduction**

**Abstract**

**Provisional chapter**
