THE STATE OF CAPRINE RESEARCH, PARTICULAR LY AS REGARDS GOATS MILK, IN NON-MEDITERRANEAN EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

The aim of this study was to characterize goat research in Europe, par ticularly in non-Mediterranean European countries (NMEC). In 1982, onl y 17% of studies on ruminants dealt with goats as against 22% in 1992. For the last year (ie April 1992-April 1993), approximate to 7.8% of papers published on goats in the CAB international databank have dealt with goat's milk composition or technology. Thirty percent of papers on goats published throughout the world are European, with France cont ributing 21% of the European total, Mediterranean countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, ex-Yugoslavia, Greece) 31%, the UK 13%, Germany 10%, Sc andinavia 10%, ex-East European countries 8% and Switzerland 4%. In th e NMEC, research on goat pathology is important, parasitosis being one of the most frequently studied diseases (the UK, Norway Denmark, Roma nia), but current issues have also been investigated such as CAE (capr ine arthritics encephalitis) (Germany, the UK, Norway Sweden, Switzerl and, Austria) and acquired immunity in young goats (Romania). Little r esearch has been carried out in genetics except on selection to improv e disease resistance (Norway). Studies related to reproduction have be en focussed on ovulation, particularly on the effects of photoperiodic ity (Norway the UK) semen freezing (Germany), superovulation (Germany) and pregnancy diagnosis (the UK, Germany). Research on dairy goat nut rition is ongoing in Norway the UK and on the nutrition of the hair-pr oducing goat in Scotland. Studies on mineral nutrition and metabolism have been reactivated after the Chernobyl disaster and industrial poll ution: on P, Ca, Na and K (the UK, Germany, Switzerland), Se, Ni and C u (Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Finland). Lastly, research on 2 impo rtant subjects, already well studied in France, has been developed, ie : in the UK, the effect of growth hormone; and in Germany and Switzerl and, glucose metabolism as the main factor limiting milk secretion. NM EC research on milk and cheeses has been characterized by their positi on as limited producers and importers of goat's milk products. A large amount of research has been carried out on milk composition and diete tic quality (Germany, Sweden, Belgium), hygienic quality (the UK), pol lution by radioactive elements (Norway, Russia, Switzerland), injected somatotropin (the UK), drugs (the UK) or insecticides (Denmark): Meth ods for detecting adulteration with other milks have been studied in G ermany, the UK, Norway and Austria. Research on milk technology has be en limited: the structure of caseins (Germany and Poland), heat treatm ent (Germany), and yoghurt (Norway). In the NMEC, caprine research is rarely carried out by researchers working exclusively on goats. The la tter are used as experimental models. Nevertheless, these studies are frequently of high quality, particularly as regards pathology, nutriti on, reproduction, and the hygienic quality of milk and cheeses. They s hould be of benefit to goat cheese and meat producing Mediterranean co untries. This is one of the purposes of FAO-ICAMA's network of coopera tive research on sheep and goats.