How to cite (Vancouver). Chávez-Espinoza M, Cantú-Silva I, González-Rodríguez H, Montañez-Valdez OD. Small ruminant production systems in Mexico and their efect on productive sustainability. Rev MVZ Cordoba. 2022; 27(1):e2246. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.2246 2022; january-april. 27(1):e2246. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.2246 Journal MVZ Cordoba Literature review ISSNL: 0122-0268 ©The Author(s) 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/), lets others remix, tweak, and build upon your work non-commercially, as long as they credit you and license their new creations under the identical terms. Small ruminant production systems in Mexico and their efect on productive sustainability Miguel Chávez-Espinoza 1 ; Israel Cantú-Silva 1 ; Humberto González-Rodríguez 1 ; Oziel Dante Montañez-Valdez 2 * . 1 Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Linares, México. 2 Universidad de Guadalajara, Centro Universitario del Sur. Grupo de Investigación en Nutrición Animal, Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, México. *Correspondence: montanez77@hotmail.com Received: February 2021; Accepted: November 2021; Published: December 2021. ABSTRACT In the small ruminant sector, there is a great interest in measuring and improving their production systems and their environmental performance, since its great adaptability and inhabits a wide variety of ecosystems, with a great biodiversity of food resources, grazing in turn, generates economic- productive and environmental benefts. However, unplanned management and overexploitation of the natural resources of these areas have caused erosion, water depletion and even desertifcation, in the same manner intensive production systems and intensive agriculture that feeds these farming systems. To compare scientifc innovations in the sustainability of the diferent production systems of small ruminants a bibliometric analysis was carried out to describe the advantages and disadvantages of the management of extensive, semi-intensive and intensive-stable production systems in the sustainability of small ruminants. There is concern in society about the environmental impact of animal production systems and that these have been carried out in a sustainable way. This trend infuences the production of sheep, goats, and white-tailed deer, which are develop in intensive, semi-extensive and extensive systems. Due to the pressure to increase the volume and efciency of production and to cope with demand, intensive systems are best suited, but face greater environmental problems such emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), which contribute to global warming and animal welfare problems. On the other hand, semi-extensive and extensive systems also emit GHGs, however are associated with greater animal welfare and cleaner production. However, are afected by seasonal variations for forage production to maintain production levels. Keywords: Extensive; intensive; goats; semi-intensive; sheep; sustainable; white-tailed deer (Fuente: CAB). RESUMEN En el sector de los pequeños rumiantes existe un gran interés en medir y mejorar sus sistemas de producción y desempeño ambiental, pues poseen una gran adaptabilidad y habitan distintos ecosistemas, con una gran biodiversidad de recursos alimenticios, el pastoreo genera benefcios económico-productivos y medio ambientales. Pero, el manejo no planifcado y la sobreexplotación de