Department of Animal Production -

Faculty Of Agriculture - University of

Duhok
Meriz goat in Kurdistan

Produced by: Supervised by:

Mazin Tareq Rena Essay
Dr Shewket
 TOPIC

INTRODUCTION
APPEARANCE
MILK PRODUCTION AND
COMPOSITION
Conclusion
Reference
 INTRODUCTION
Meriz goats are found along
the northern boarder of
Kurdistan region of Iraq

. According to Mason (1981),

theMeriz breed is similar, if
not identical to the
IranianMarkhoz (Pashmira or
Cashmere).
 INTRODUCTION
The main purpose of raising Meriz
goats is to utilize their outercoat
fibers in the manufacture of
Kurdish national costume while
their undercoat fibers are ignored
due to the unfamiliarity of the
breeders with the importance of
cashmere and the possibility of
processing its hair (Aziz, 2009).
Additionally, is a source of meat
and milk. These small ruminants
are easy to handle and can
withstand harsh conditions
(Alkass, 2012).
APPEARANCE
Meriz goats are white, red or brown
and some are a
mixture of these colors. The facial
profile is straight or slightly
concave The ears are directed
laterally with a forward and
downward inclination, and are 11-
15 cm long.

The horns of males reach 50 cm in

length; they are
heterohymously twisted and vary
from an open
corkscrew to a tight vertical screw
(Mason, 1981).
Also, females are horned except
occasionally are polled.
Males usually have medium to short
beards (Figures, 1A
and 1B).
MILK PRODUCTION AND
COMPOSITION

Table 2. Mean SE of milk traits of

Meriz does

(Alkass and Merkhan,

 MILK PRODUCTION AND
COMPOSITION

Table3 . Mean SE of milk components of

Meriz does.

Conclusion
Meriz goats are found along
the northern boarder of
Kurdistan region of Iraq
Meriz goats are white ,red or
brown and some are mixture
of these colors.
The ears are directed laterally
with a forward and downward
inclination ,and are 11-15 cm
long.
Milk production and
composition .
 REFERENCE
Mason IL (1981). Breeds, in Goat Production (C.
Gall, ed.), Academic Press, London, pp. 57-110.

Aziz KO (2009). Cashmere production from Maraz

goats
Alkass JE (2012). Performance of black and Meriz goats
raised on pasture conditions in Kurdistan region of
Iraq. 2nd OHAC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany,

Mason IL (1981). Breeds, in Goat Production (C. Gall,

ed.), Academic Press, London, pp. 57-110.

Khoshanow AHH (2002). The study of phenotypic

description and the production of the hair
quantitatively and qualitatively in Betwata Area. M.Sc.
Thesis. College of Agriculture, University of Salahaddin

Alkass JE, Ahmed KA (2011). A comparative study on

some semen characteristics and testosterone level of
Black goat and Meriz bucks. J. Duhok Univ

Dosky KN (2010). Fattening and some carcass

characteristics of Meriz and native goat male kids raised
in either concentrate or pasture conditions
 Restall BJ, Pattie WA (1989). The inheritance ofcashmere in
Australian goats. 1. Characteristics of thefactors. Livest.
Prod. Sci., base population and the effects of environmental

Hermiz HN (2001). Genetic evaluation of local their crosses

using some productive traits. Ph.D. thesis, College of
Agriculture, University of Baghdad ( Arabic. goats with

Epstein H (1969). Domestic Animal of Chine Common Wealth

Agricultural Bareaux, famham Royal, England

Alkass JE, Merkhan KY (2011). Milk production traits of

indigenous Black and Meriz goats raised under farm production
system. Res. Opin. Anim. Vet. Sci.,
Merkhan KY, Alkass JE (2012). A study on milk composition of
Black and Meriz goats raised under farm condition

.
Baker IA (2007). Studies on milk composition of Black goat
and Meriz during lactation period. J

Mayi VJT, Alkass JE (2010). Effect of fattening period on

growth rate and carcass characteristics of Meriz and Black
goats.
Alkass JE, Barwary MS, Bamerny AO (2010). Effect of
dietsupplemented with Ascorbic acid on: 1.
Growthperformance and carcass traits of Meriz goat