Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
developed countries compared with only 19% for the
developing world. Therefore, worldwide, most goats are
valued primarily for their meat.
acteristics desired and is productive under all environ-
mental conditions. Indigenous breeds are adapted to
local environments but may not excel in performance.
Crossbreeding of local (indigenous) breeds with improved
breeds often produces crossbred offspring that have faster
gains, higher milk yields, and greater adaptability to dif-
ferent regions (Solaiman, 2007). Hybrids or composite
breeds can exploit hybrid vigor. Over 80 composite goat
breed populations have been developed in 37 countries in
the world (Mason, 1996). Listed below are favorable traits
or preferable characteristics usually employed when devel-
oping or selecting a breed.
BREED AND NUMBERS
In the developing countries, goats are seldom defi ned in the
traditional sense and generally breed societies, breed stan-
dards, or herdbooks are lacking. According to the new FAO
(2009) database, there are 1,153 goat breeds in the world.
However, the World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds
(Mason, 1996) lists 565 goat breeds plus 76 varieties (sub-
breeds) but only 68 herdbooks and/or established breed
societies. Such registries are found primarily in Europe and
North America. Of 68 herdbooks or breed societies listed,
21 are for the descendents of original breeds. For example,
7 breed societies/herdbooks are listed for the Saanen breed
and its descendents in different countries. In developing
countries, efforts to establish the purity of breeds or improve
existing breeds generally are lacking. Therefore, the major-
ity of goat breeds listed in the FAO database found in the
developing countries are not known or recognized outside
of their country of origin.
Goat breeds are usually classifi ed by their geographical
origin (Epstein, 1969; 1971; 1977), their region and pro-
ductivity (Devendra and Burns, 1983), or their height at
the withers (Devendra, 2007). Some classifi cations include
the shape and size of the horns in conjunction with produc-
tion and geographical considerations (Mason, 1981) while
other classifi cation methods include the primary product
of goats and their distribution (The Council of Science and
Industrial Research [CSIR], 1970), their morphological
characteristics (in India; Acharya, 1982), and hair and coat
characteristics (in Pakistan; Hasnain, 1985). Based on
these different classifi cation methods, the number of goat
breeds in the world has been reported to be 562 by
Devendra (2007), 136 by Gall (1996), 565 by Mason
(1996), and 1,153 by FAO (2009).
Within developed countries, the majority of goat breeds
are classifi ed according to their products. Duplications
occur when goats are used for multiple purposes such as
meat, milk, fi ber, or skin; however, end use has been
adopted for goat breed classifi cation in this chapter. Some
breeds are mentioned according to their end use, alphabeti-
cally under countries of origin for simplifi cation.
Adaptability
All goats, regardless of their breed, should readily adapt
to the environment where they will grow and perform.
Spanish goats raised in hot, dry climates such as west
Texas may not adapt favorably to either the humidity of
the southeastern U.S. or the irrigated pastures of the
western U.S. Improved breeds of goats that are produced
under various environmental conditions, such as Boer
goats from South Africa or Kikos from New Zealand, may
perform differently when produced under environmental
conditions that differ from their area of origin. Crossbreeding
and selection can enhance environmental adaptability.
Reproductive Effi ciency
Capacity to reproduce is one of the most important produc-
tion traits for meat, dairy, and fi ber goats. High rates of
conception, kidding, and weaning are all important. Females
(does) that produce more kids per pregnancy are more pro-
ductive even though kids may have lower birth weights,
slower growth, and lower weaning weights. Because goats
usually are not managed as individuals, total herd reproduc-
tive performance is important. Goat breeds from temperate
regions and dairy goats tend to breed only seasonally with
the breeding season being from July/August to November/
December in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, goat
breeds from the tropics or meat goats often kid year-round.
This trait is desired economically. However, tropical breeds
may not have desired meat characteristics and the larger
carcasses preferred for meat production.
Growth Performance
Kid performance usually is evaluated in two segments:
average daily gain (ADG) prior to weaning (pre-weaning
ADG) and after weaning (post-weaning ADG). For goats
sold at weaning (either for Cabrito or meat stock), pre-
weaning performance is important and depends on both the
kid's ability to grow rapidly and its dam's mothering ability.
For kids sold as yearlings or for milk production, both pre-
SELECTION OF THE DESIRED BREED
OR TYPE
Ideally, a breed should be selected according to its purpose
or use, the environmental conditions, and adaptability of
the breed (Gipson, 1996). No single breed has all the char-
