Improving reproduction and growth characteristics of indegenous goats in smallholding farming system

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Goat breeding is an economic activity carried out in the rural areas of the Eastern Mediterranean region of Türkiye. The small ruminants breeding project carried out in extensive farmer conditions was a project which aimed to improve the quality and quantity of meat and milk yields of domestic goat breeds of Anatolia since 2015. The genetic improvement study of indigenous Hair goats was started in 2015 and ended in 2020, using 5985 does and 252 bucks, with the participation of 60 local volunteer farmers in the rural farming system of Eastern Anatolia of Türkiye. At the end of the study, it was found that the birth rate, twinning rate, prolificacy, litter size, and survival rate varied between, 81.88 to 98.18%, 5.26 to 13.54%, 103.00 to 111.00%, 1.11 to 1.27 and 92.67% to 99.06%, by years respectively. As a result of the breeding study, it was determined that the birth weight, weaning weight, and daily body weight gain of the offspring were increased from 2.60 to 3.07 kg, from 8.21 to 10.77 kg, and from 107.74 to 149.15 g, respectively. It was determined that the growth characteristics of kids differed significantly over the years (P < 0.001). As a result of this study, it was determined that production based on local gene resources with improved genetic capacity in rural areas is important for sustainability. Simple recording schemes for the objective assessment of performance traits and planned mating schemes will help enhance animals’ production performances in traditional farming systems.