**7. Conclusion**

It is important that the breeds used in the intensive system have a high fertility and growth rates than the adaptability to the environment, that is, the rusticity. The equilibrium with the environment can easily be compromised by the insertion of exotic breeds, as well as with exotic or genetically modified plant species. The intensive use of natural resources may lead to their depletion and increase the environment pollution, having serious social

Goats are well adapted to harsh environments but can also be used in intensive systems with permanent housing, as is happen with many farms for milk production. Here too, mainly because these farms are usually in regions with weak resources, they use less labor but with higher qualifications, with the danger of triggering a process with social negative consequences, namely with soil erosion, high risks of fire and depopulation. Also industrial production can replace the artisanal production, losing ancestral traditions and

Intensive goat farms have higher costs for the installation and maintenance of production than extensive farms (**Table 1**), but their choice should allow for a balance between environ-

mental, economic, and social factors, since only then will it be sustainable.

Dependent on the climate (environmental) factors Independent of the climate factors Scarce resources Constant forage production Intermittent feed cycles Continuous feed cycles Parasitic problems Good sanitary condition Use of marginal land and nonagricultural resources Use of technology Low animal density High animal density

Multi‐production exploration Animals with high energy efficiency Great ability of adaptation Increased sensitivity to diseases Lower fecundity and fertility Increased fecundity and fertility

**Extensive system Intensive system**

Autochthonous breeds Improved breeds Low productions High productions

Natural environment Artificial environment Long productive cycles Short productive cycles Traditional system Industrial system

**Table 1.** Main differences between intensive and extensive production systems.

consequences.

362 Goat Science

biodiversity.

*Eco‐agrarian conditions*

*Animal biotypes*

*Environment*

*Note*: Adapted from Refs. [1, 4, 8].

Concerning difficult environmental conditions, goats are probably the most well‐adapted farm animals, and due to its cheap management and good meat and milk production, goats have been considered one of the ancient animals to be domesticated all over the world.

In several regions, namely in Africa and Asia, goats are the most important source of meat and milk to feed very large populations with scarce income. But these animals also contribute to a sustainable farming, a very ecological way of living which enables to use their waist to fertilize crop fields, control and prevent fires by forest grazing.

We can also find some intensive goat production all over the world, with selected high production breeds, namely for milk and cheese production, and in a near future, we will certainly need to spread the know‐how from goat production research, applied to the different environmental conditions and its regional well‐adapted breeds, enabling higher productions with lower effort, in order to feed more population from the developing countries.
