Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
always the possibility that the inherent potential for spe-
cifi c morphological characteristics and production perfor-
mance necessary for the improvement of established goat
breeds may be lacking in a country or region.
Developing countries share more than 90% of the
world's goat population. Breeders of nomadic and semi-
nomadic origin on average receive a substantial portion of
their income from fi ber and meat while milk is used for
home consumption. These producers are unaware of sci-
entifi c accomplishments in the fi eld of genetics, nutrition,
and husbandry that have helped other livestock and poultry
species become more productive.
In breed evaluation studies, imported breeds may under-
perform because of poor test environments relative to their
nutritional requirements resulting in inconsistent conclu-
sions. This may be due to the situation where goats are
often reared on marginal lands not suitable for full expres-
sion of the genetic potential of the crossbred offspring.
Developing breeding strategies for goats that are raised
under sedentary, nomadic and seminomadic management
present a real challenge. This is only possible by adding
suffi cient value to their products, as well as recognizing
their signifi cant role in maintaining cultural heritage and
sustaining biodiversity while helping alleviate poverty.
provides an opportunity to sample a large number of unre-
lated animals and establish foundation herds with as broad
a genetic base as possible.
More recently, the promise of molecular methodologies
has been enhanced due to considerable advances in micro-
satellite marker identifi cation and the development of very
comprehensive gene maps. There is potential merit in the
application of Marker-Assisted selection to genetic evalu-
ation when large numbers of markers are identifi ed improv-
ing the accuracy of estimation of breeding values. In
practice these already exist for bulls with superior genetic
merit.
REFERENCES
Abdelsalam , M.M. , A.E. Haider , A.M. Aboul - Naga , I.S. El -
Kimary , and M. Eissa . 1994 . Improving performance of
desert Barki kids by crossing with Zaraibi and Damascus
goats . Egyptian Journal of Animal Production 31 : 85 - 97 .
Abdelsalam , M.M. , M. Eissa , G. Maharm , and A.I. Haider .
2000. Improving the productivity of Barki goat by cross-
breeding with Damascus or Zaraibi breeds. Alexandria
Journal of Agricultural Research 45 : 33 - 42 .
Acharya , R.M. 1988 . “ Goat breeding and meat production . ”
In: Goat meat production in Asia, edited by C. Devendra,
pp. 14 - 29 . Proceedings of Workshop in Tando Jam,
Pakistan, International Development Research Centre,
Ottawa, Canada .
Acharya , R.M. , R.K. Misra , and V.K. Patil . 1982 . Breeding
strategy for goats in India. Indian Council of Agricultural
Research, New Delhi, India, 111 pp.
Adalsteinsson , S. , D.P. Sponenberg , S. Alexieva , and A.J.F.
Russell . 1994 . Inheritance of goat coat colors . Journal of
Heredity 1994 : 267 - 272 .
Boldman , K.G. , L.A. Kriese , L.D. Van Vleck , C.P. Van
Tassell , and S.D. Kachman . 1995 . A Manual for Use of
MTDFREML. A Set of Programs to obtain Estimates of
Variances and Covariances [DRAFT]. U.S. Department
of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Washington
D.C., Lincoln, NE, USA, 114 pp.
Cameron , N.D. 1997 . Selection indices and prediction of
genetic merit in animal breeding. Commonwealth
Agricultural Bureau International, Wallingford, UK,
216 pp.
Falconer , D.S. and T.F.C. McKay . 1996 . Introduction to
Quantitative Genetics, Fourth Edition. Longmans Green,
Harlow, Essex, UK .
Flamant , J.C. , and P. Morand - Fehr . 1982 . Milk production
in sheep and goats. In: “ World Animal Science . ” C.
Production-system approach. 1. Sheep and Goat produc-
tion,
SUMMARY
Evaluation of breeds for specifi c objectives can identify
breeds with potential genetic merit for morphological char-
acteristics and production performance in the selection
criteria. Benefi t from the use of synchronization of estrus,
super ovulation, artifi cial insemination, batch breeding and
timing of kidding according to requirements for the mar-
keting of goats and their products are apparent. Novel
reproductive technologies using superovulation, embryo
transfer, and cloning have potential merit for genetic
improvement. These reproductive technologies combined
with year-round kidding of complementary goat breeds
demonstrate considerable merit in increasing the number
of kids marketed per doe annually. Furthermore, there is
opportunity for large-scale commercial production of meat
and milk from goats close to markets in large urban
populations.
Prospects for commercial goat production can be
enhanced by complementing breeds that have demon-
strated considerable genetic merit for the performance
traits of economic importance with those established from
the indigenous breeds. Fiscal constraints and requirements
for quarantine have in the past permitted only the importa-
tion of a small number of animals, mostly males. Currently,
the ease with which semen and embryos can be transported
edited
by
I.E.
Coop .
Elsevier ,
Amsterdam,
The
Netherlands, pp. 275 - 295 .
Hutt , F.B. 1964 . Animal Genetics . The Ronald Press Company ,
New York, USA , 546 pp.
