Lactation of Small Ruminants

Abstract

Lactation in small ruminants, primarily goats and sheep, is a vital physiological process characterized by the synthesis and secretion of milk by the mammary gland. The onset of lactation immediately postpartum facilitates initial colostrum delivery, essential for neonatal immune development. While lactation is a natural strategy of mammals aimed to meet offspring nutritional requirements, specialized dairy breeds of sheep (e.g., East Friesian, Awassi, Lacaune, or Manchega) and goats (e.g., Saanen, Alpine, Nubian, or Tinerfeña) have been selectively bred to produce milk above offspring nutritional requirements (Haenlein, 2007). Therefore, milk from dairy goat and sheep breeds is directly consumed by humans or manufactured as milk products (i.e., cheese, yogurt, kefir,...