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To determine if rearing conditions (pen vs. extensive grazing) alters placental development, mixed-breed goats were kept either under intensive (n=31) or extensive (n=40) condition in a desert rangeland. Does kept underpen conditions had higher (P < 0.01) serum glucose, urea, cholesterol, total proteins and phosphorus values than grazing goats. There was no effect of rearing conditions on kid birth weight, but placentas from nutrient-restricted mothers were 56% heavier (P < 0.01) at parturition than pen-fed does. Placentas from the grazing goats had less placentomes and feto-maternal contact area compared to pen-fed goats. Body condition score was significantly correlated with placental weight (r= -0.69) and placenta to birth weight ratio (r= 0.74). These results showed that live weight of offspring born from nutrient-restricted mothers was not compromised, but chronic nutrient deprivation resulted in larger placentas with fewer placentomes.