The first joint seminar of the FAO-CIHEAM Sheep and Goat Nutrition and Mountain

and Mediterranean Pastures Sub-Networks, was held in Granada (Spain), from 2 to 4

October 2003 and was organised, under the auspices of the Spanish Ministry of Science

and Technology, by CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas), FAO (Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) and CIHEAM (Centre International

de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes), in collaboration with INIA

(Instituto Nacional de Investigación Tecnológica Agraria y Alimentaria), Caja Rural de

Granada, Junta de Andalucía (Consejerías de Educación y Ciencia y Agricultura y

Pesca), DAP (Empresa Publica de Desarrollo Agrario y Pesquero), Grupo de Desarrollo

Rural del Altiplano de Granada, ANCOS (Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ovino

Segureño) and Ayuntamiento de Huéscar (Granada).

The international coordinators of FAO-CIHEAM Networks on Sheep and Goat and on

Pastures and Fodder Crops decided to combine the 10th Seminar on Sheep and Goat

Nutrition with the 12th Meeting of the Sub-Networks on Mountain and Mediterranean

Pastures and organized the first joint seminar.

This joint seminar focused on topics related to sustainable grazing, nutritional utilization

and quality of sheep and goat products. Sessions dealt with sustainable management for

quality pastures, nutritional manipulation and product quality, management of grazing

animals for pastures and non-conventional foods evaluation. Furthermore, three round

tables were organised to discuss the following topics: traceability of products in grazing

systems, alternative methods to control pathogens in grazing animals and indicators of

sustainable systems.

In addition to the scientific programme, a field trip was organized to the area of the

Altiplano, in the north of the Granada province, where different groups are involved in

local development of goat and sheep production and rural tourism.

Ninety-six participants from 20 countries attended the seminar (Algeria, Belgium,

Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Morocco,

Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, UK, USA) as well as

representatives or scientists from CIHEAM and FAO. A total of 70 papers were presented

and discussed, including introductory papers, oral presentations and posters, sixty-three

of which have been selected to be published in these proceedings.