Interest is growing in promoting sustainable animal production systems because of their healthy
relation to the natural environment. Ecological systems stand out, as they pay special attention to
preserving natural resources, promoting biodiversity, guaranteeing animal well-being, and obtaining
healthy products from raw materials and natural processes. The objective of this study is to evaluate
proximity to the ecological model of dairy goat systems in mountainous areas of Andalusia, Spain.
Furthermore, those aspects which could be improved in order to convert these farms into ecological
systems were analyzed. A questionnaire was designed for the farms, including 53 variables integrated into
10 indicators. Twenty three farms were surveyed (5 meat farms and 18 milk farms), of which 6 (2 meat
and 4 milk) are certified in ecological production. The ecological farms show an 81% fit with the
agroecological model for animal production, and the conventional farms show a 55% fit. Principal actions
which should be carried out in order to adapt conventional Andalusia mountain systems to the ecological
model are: (i) diminishing outside dependence on concentrated feed, (ii) improving quality of natural
grasses and optimizing their use by the animals, (iii) adapting animal productive level to environmental
carrying capacity, (iv) observing strict sanitary conditions of the facility and equipment, using products
permitted by ecological goat farm regulations, (v) improving farmer training, particularly in relation to
management, and (vi) promoting direct marketing channels and farmer participation in value added of
processed goat products