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    Dairy Goat Breeds and Breeding

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    Frans Rumble
    The document discusses dairy goat breeds, selection of breeding stock, heat detection, and culling. The main dairy goat breeds raised in Kenya are Saanen, Alpine, and Toggenburg breeds. Desirable characteristics for breeding does include fertility, udder health, and temperament. Bucks should be true to breed type with good conformation and libido. Signs of heat in does include restlessness and vulva changes. Culling reasons include defects, low productivity, and health issues.

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    Dairy Goat Breeds and Breeding

    Uploaded by

    Frans Rumble
    65 views8 pages
    The document discusses dairy goat breeds, selection of breeding stock, heat detection, and culling. The main dairy goat breeds raised in Kenya are Saanen, Alpine, and Toggenburg breeds. Desirable characteristics for breeding does include fertility, udder health, and temperament. Bucks should be true to breed type with good conformation and libido. Signs of heat in does include restlessness and vulva changes. Culling reasons include defects, low productivity, and health issues.

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    DAIRY GOAT BREEDS AND BREEDING

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    The document discusses dairy goat breeds, selection of breeding stock, heat detection, and culling. The main dairy goat breeds raised in Kenya are Saanen, Alpine, and Toggenburg breeds. Desirable characteristics for breeding does include fertility, udder health, and temperament. Bucks should be true to breed type with good conformation and libido. Signs of heat in does include restlessness and vulva changes. Culling reasons include defects, low productivity, and health issues.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    65 views8 pages

    Dairy Goat Breeds and Breeding

    Uploaded by

    Frans Rumble
    The document discusses dairy goat breeds, selection of breeding stock, heat detection, and culling. The main dairy goat breeds raised in Kenya are Saanen, Alpine, and Toggenburg breeds. Desirable characteristics for breeding does include fertility, udder health, and temperament. Bucks should be true to breed type with good conformation and libido. Signs of heat in does include restlessness and vulva changes. Culling reasons include defects, low productivity, and health issues.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 8

    Dairy Goat Breeds and

    Breeding

    1
    Breeds of dairy goats
    A variety of dairy goat breeds exist world over. The common dairy goat
    breeds reared in Kenya, however, include Saanen, Toggenburg and
    Alpines. These breeds exhibit different characteristics that define their
    performances. The main breeds raised in Kenya are presented in the
    table below.

    Breed Description
    Colour: White to pale cream with pink
    skin pigmentation
    Head: Straight face, upright and alert
    ears (pricked),
    Coat cover: Short fine hair
    Average body weight: 75-80 kg for
    Saanen
    males and 50-65 kg for females
    Milk production: An average of 2-5
    litres/day
    Colour: Brown and black in colour but
    considerable variations occur, with a
    black back line
    Head: Straight face and erect ears
    Coat cover: Short to medium in length
    hair
    Average body weight: The adult male
    German/French Alpine weighs 65 kg and female 60 kg
    Milk production: an average of 2-4
    litres/day

    2
    Colour: Black in color with white or
    cream markings on various parts of
    the body, e.g., the legs and face
    Head: Ears are erect and point slightly
    forward
    Coat cover: Short, fine and glossy hair.
    Average body weight: The adult male
    British Alpine
    weighs 65 kg, female 60 kg.
    Milk production: An average milk
    yield of 2 4.5 litres/day
    Colour: Solid light fawn to dark
    chocolate with white ears, legs,
    underbelly and two white stripes
    down the face
    Head: Ears that are erect and point
    slightly forward. The muzzle is broad

    Toggenburg Coat cover: The hair is short or


    medium in length, soft, fine and lays
    flat. Some have long hair
    Average body weight: 55-80 kg for
    males and 50-65 kg for females
    Milk production: An average of 2-4
    litres/day

    Selection of breeding does and bucks


    Selection is the process that determines which goats become parents,
    how many kids they will produce and for how long they persist in the
    breeding flock. The following characteristics are desirable when select-
    ing does and bucks for breeding

    3
    Desirable characteristics of a breeding doe
    • True to type to the preferred breed
    • Strong legs and feet
    • Fertility: can have up to 1.5 kiddings per year
    • A healthy doe with ability to maintain good body condition
    • Wedge shape
    • Good mothering ability
    • Good temperament
    • Proper placed and long teats
    • Prominent, well attached and deep udder

    A rear view of a doe showing a deep udder and proper teat placement

    4
    Comparative morphology of a typically good and bad doe

    Desirable characteristics of a breeding Buck


    • True to type to the preferred breed
    • No deformities
    • Good body condition with strong feet and legs
    • Two well-developed testicles and high libido

    A rear view of a buck showing well developed testicles

    5
    Morphology of a typically good buck

    Heat detection
    An understanding of the signs of oestrus and close observation is the
    best way to determine when a doe is on heat. A buck can be put in the
    neighbouring pen to stimulate explicit expression of heat signs, which
    include:
    • Increased restlessness
    • Redness and swelling of the vulva
    • Head butting
    • Mucus discharge (may become white toward the end of oes-
    trus)
    • Tail twitching/wags the tail
    • Increased bleating (vocalization)
    • Frequent urination
    Note: A doe standing to be mounted or riding another doe are not seen
    as signs of heat in goats as in cows.
    Does have an oestrus cycle of 18 to 22 days. Oestrus (heat) lasts be-
    tween 12 - 48 hours, averaging 36 hours and ovulation occurs 24 to 36
    hours after onset of heat. Therefore, goats should be bred 24 hours af-

    6
    ter onset of heat or every 12 hours until the receptive period is over.
    Culling
    Culling is defined as the departure or exit of dairy goats from the flock.
    Reasons for culling include:
    • Physical defects -– for example, undesirable leg conformation
    • Fertility problems
    • Health problems – for example, Mastitis, pneumonia
    • Udder disorders
    • Low milk production
    • Slow growth rate
    • Old age
    • To avoid inbreeding
    • Voluntary culling because of having excess number of goats

    7
    Compiled by: Waineina RW, Wasike CB, Wahome C, Mwangi SI,
    Serem RK, Mukhebi L and Ilatsia ED

    Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization,


    P.O. Box 57811-00200, Nairobi, KENYA.
    Tel: 254-020 4183301-20/ 254-020 4183720 Fax: 254-020 4183344
    Website: www.kalro.org

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