A20: Breeding goals and traits of goat production, types, usage and products. Flashcards
What products can goats produce?
- Meat (kid/young goat more frequently used = due to the meat acquiring a “barnyard” scent/taste as
they get older) - Milk – cheese
- Wool
What are the selection criteria in goats producing milk?
Milk production: Fertility, udder form & shape
What are the selection criteria in goats producing meat?
Meat production: Daily weight gain of kids, muscling, prolificacy
What are the selection criteria in goats producing wool?
Wool production: Quality of fibres in Angora, Cashmere & Mohair goats
Goat meat composition
high protein.
low fat (3%).
breeds: Boer Goat, Anglo-Nubian Goat.
Alternative goat products include
- Goat milk soap: Mild properties
- Leather: Kid skin gloves, etc.
- Goat hides: Used in traditional African drum making.
- Mohair and cashmere: Made into fine garments
Typical traits that goat producers want in their selection and breeding program include
- Growth rate
- Conformation such as feet, udder and jaw
- Frame size
- Carcase and meat characteristics
- Fertility and fecundity
- Ease of kidding
- Mothering ability
- Temperament
- Fibre characteristics
- Milk production
- Physical characteristics such as skin colour
Mention some fine wool and fur traits
- Grease (fleece weight) * Wool (clean fleece weight): 2-5kg
- Wool thickness
- S/P ratio (secondary:primary follicle ratio= 3-25)
- Fineness ! Length & diameter of fibre (20-33 microns), evenness of fibres
- Medullation of fiber
- Face covering (wool blind-wool covers eye, open faces)
- Crimps/ unit length(spinning ability)
- Staple (combing fibre) length=5-15cm
- Curl type and size( of Karakul, fur/pelt production shortly, few days after birth)
- Wrinkles or skin folds (inc. fleece producing surface, neck, face, body)
- Fibre (hair medullated) length and diameter (40-60 microns, coarse and carpet wool)
- Wool production of Cashmere and Angora goats (mohair, pashmina): Special production traits of Angora and Cashmere goat are mohair and pashmina (superfine wool, specialities), shearing twice a year, high elasticity and lights (lustre, silk-like wool)
Mention some milk production traits of goats
- Milk yield
- Lactation performance:
o Goat 600-1200 L
o Length of lactation 150-200 days - Daily milk yield
- Milk fat % -high
- Milk protein % -high
- Ease of milking (milking machine)
- Udder size & form (in goat optimal, round)
🡪 Example: Holland Saanen-goat has a round, spherical and ship-like shape of udder - Dairy goat: hand and milking, portable milking machine, milking stand
- Milk (primarily dairy and meat) breeds: Saanen and its breed derivatives, Alpine, improved, Toggenburg, Wallis, Sable, Nubian, LaMancha
Overall breeding goals of goats
- Deliver meat and/or fiber products
- Genetic variation across herd
- Continue with genetic diversity