**6. Goat flock management, husbandry, and constraints**

**Table 6** shows the details of the events and dates for goat production in Jordan.

Feed shortage, diseases, water shortage, high feed prices, rangeland shortage, poor veteri‐ nary service, poor breeding, and poor marketing are among the major constraints and chal‐ lenges limiting goat production in Jordan. A study by Al‐Khaza'leh et al. [23] showed that the most important problems confronting goat productivity in mountain zone of southern Jordan were feed shortage followed by disease, drinking water shortage and high feed prices while in the semidesert zone the top ranked constraint was high feed price followed by feed shortage, rangeland shortage, and water shortage. Al‐Assaf [24] reported that inad‐ equate feed and water supply, poor veterinarian services and weak management practices are the main challenges for goats in Jordan. Under the arid climatic conditions such as Jordan, it is obvious that the aforementioned constraints namely shortage of water, feed, and occurrence of diseases can adversely affect the performance of animals.


comparative advantage compared to non‐adapted breeds and eventually sustain goat pro‐

Goat Farming and Breeding in Jordan http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.69015 377

Diseases of goats in Jordan are mainly caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. As previously mentioned, diseases were the major constraints affecting goat production. Consequently, eco‐ nomic losses are resulted due to decreased production, reproductive inefficiency, and death of animals. In Jordan, there are many infectious, noninfectious diseases and disorders for goat that mainly include subcutaneous and skin diseases, mastitis, emaciation, digestive disorders, reproductive diseases, and respiratory diseases. The last three diseases cause the major prob‐

**Table 7.** Overall proportion of goat farmers of different breeds considering doe selection criteria.

The major symptom associated with digestive disease is diarrhea. Diarrhea in neonates is most commonly caused by specific bacteria called *E. coli* that secrete an enterotoxin. A pre‐ vious study by [20] reported that the perinatal and postnatal mortality (abortion, neonatal) accounted for 98.9% of the total losses of goats in the southern Jordan (**Table 4**). Other study by [24] showed that the top ranked diseases affecting small ruminants in the northern area of Jordan were diarrhea, enterotoxaemia, and pneumonia. The high mortalities in young ani‐ mals can severely affect the farmers' economic returns. Goats also get sick due to diseases of

To protect the goat herd from disease, the health program (e.g., treatment, vaccination, and dipping) should be interconnected with other activities on the farm such as feeding, milking, and breeding programs. Moreover, the surrounding environmental conditions are important considerations in assuring that health program will be effective for flock. Furthermore, there is a need for good veterinarian services to reduce economic losses. And most of all, the pre‐

duction and conservation of indigenous genotypes.

**Selection criterion Overall** Does source 77 Last season productivity 59 Longevity 52 Disease resistance 49 Overall merit 41 Twinning ability 19 Fertility 13

**8. Goat diseases and health management**

Source: [10].

lems and economic losses among goat in Jordan.

vention is the useful tool for health management.

the respiratory system; pneumonia is the common disease in goats.

Source: compiled by author

**Table 6.** Management and husbandry calendar of goats in Jordan.
