MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN GOAT FARMS

MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN GOAT FARMS

G Shalini and Y Nagendra Reddy

 Ph.D Scholar, Department of Animal Reproduction, Gynaecology and Obstetrics, CVAS, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala

shalinignanavelou@gmail.com

1. INTRODUCTION

Goats are considered the poor man’s cow in India, where they are a promising small ruminant.  Goats are small, simple to care for animals. They require less labor for milk, meat, and fiber and are cost-effective for the impoverished farmers. Goat farming has been more significant in recent times because of its profitable nature. Modern goat breeding systems continue to face numerous difficulties. First, low productivity from crossbred goats is caused by issues with breed management. Inadequate shelter, watering, inadequate feed, diluted breeds, and poor healthcare are all linked to low output. Second, the amount of feed stock needed to sustain populations of crossbred goats is limited. Third, agricultural extension agents frequently lack the necessary training to handle smaller animals and have little understanding of mixed goat-crop systems and cross-bred goats. Fourth, women and kids are the most common goat owners. They have a lot of labor-intensive responsibilities and little free time to support innovative goat-crop systems. Fifth, present efforts have concentrated on connecting farmers to markets, the economic viability of these agricultural systems at the household level is a persistent problem that is poorly understood. They require the barest minimum in terms of labor, veterinary care and additional nutrition. The rivalry for natural resources, especially land and water, the competition between food and feed, and the requirement to function in an economy with carbon constraints will all have a growing impact on productivity in the future (Thornton, 2010). This research aims to review the purpose and varieties of goats, as well as their productivity and current management practices and development initiatives.

2. Points to be considered for selection of breeding in goats (Divyanshu Pandey et a, 2023) Selection of Bucks

1. The buck ought to have every trait associated with the breed.
2. The age ought to be greater than a year.
3. A twin or triplet should be the leader.
4. The flock’s heaviest member should be the buck. A healthy body weight should exceed 30-35 kg.
5. Diseases and physical flaws should not exist.
6. The initiative should be assertive.
7. The buck must to be in good health and have erect legs and a body.
8. A robust neck and shoulders are indicative of a buck’s ability to procreate.
9. A broad chest is ideal.
10. The body coat need to be glossy.
11. The buck ought to possess favourable qualities for semen.

Selection of Doe

1. The doe ought to be a triplet or twin.
2. The doe need to be one or two years old.
3. The doe ought to be disease-free and in good health.
4. The doe’s body coat ought to be glossy and brilliant.
5. The doe’s conjunctiva should be pink rather than pale or yellow.
6. The doe’s udder ought to be well-developed and not protruding.
7. No supernumerary or rudimentary teats should be present.
8. A healthy disposition is ideal; docility and maternal ability are desirable traits.
9. The doe ought to be a skilled milker.
10. Characteristics of a good doe include conception at the first service, abstinence from abortion, good mothering skills, giving birth to multiple twins, weight gain, and increased milk production.

3.Reproductive characteristics in goats 

• Breeding age: 6–8 months; comes into heat 21 days after kidding; gestation period: 147 days (varies from 144 to 152 days).
• Ratio of male to female: 1:20.
• In does, the estrous phase lasts 19–21 days (range: 17–24 days).
• In goats, the estrous period lasts roughly 34-38 hours.
• Ovulation usually happens towards the end of standing estrus and can happen anywhere between 9 and 72 hours following the commencement of estrus. Ovulation rate varies according to breed, season and level of nutrition.
• “Flushing” is a technique where ruminants receive a quick nutritional boost to improve reproductive efficiency without compromising their physical condition. A positive energy balance is achieved by this approach, which also improves glucose absorption, raises leptin and insulin concentrations, and is linked to higher rates of ovulation and folliculogenesis (Jamie stewart, 2021).

4. Estrous signs in goats

• Bleating
• Tail-flapping
• Vulva reddening
• Vaginal discharge (which sticks the tail hairs together)
• “Ridden” by other does
• Presence of an intact male, these behaviours become more noticeable

5. Estrous detection aids in goats

If the herdsman thinks the doe is in heat, he can test her. Rubbing a doe’s back and seeing how she responds is one test. It is possible that she is in estrus if her tail starts to twitch more quickly, signaling an excited reaction. Putting a cloth on the buck to give it his fragrance and giving it to the doe is another test. It could indicate that the doe is in estrus if she starts to feel excited by the smell of the cloth and becomes attracted to it (Ensminger, 2002).

6. Methods of breeding systems 

1. Hand mating

Choosing the buck/ram that the doe/ewe wants and mating them are the steps in this procedure. One benefit of this approach is that it makes it possible to pinpoint the precise breeding date. The manager must precisely identify the doe or ewe in heat and assist with the mating, which makes it a labor-intensive task.

2. Pen breeding

The purpose of pen breeding is to facilitate mating by placing a buck or ram in a pen with does or ewes. To identify females in heat, this procedure depends on the male. If you compare it to hand breeding, it requires a lot less work. The drawback of pen breeding is that it makes breeding records less certain. The male’s age also needs to be considered when calculating breeding densities. It is recommended to pair a yearling male with 10 to 25 females, although a more mature male can be paired with 15 to 40 females.

3. Artificial insemination

The cost-effective introduction of improved genetics is one of the advantages of artificial insemination. Unfortunately, there are not many technicians with small ruminant AI competence, thus the farm manager frequently needs to pick up this ability. In addition, AI needs a lot of time to identify estrus precisely and meticulously. For goats, transcervical insemination using fresh semen currently yields the most dependable outcomes.

4. Out of season breeding

Goats can be successfully bred out of season using a variety of techniques. Using artificial lighting is the most dependable, albeit priciest, approach. To regulate their exposure to light, men and females need to be kept apart inside. Both are exposed to at least 20 hours of light for 60 days in the winter. The brightness of the light at eye level is crucial to consider while choosing lighting. The goats are then placed under natural lighting for forty-five days, following which the does are paired with the buck for breeding. Pen breeding should be used and the buck to doe ratio should be kept high. There is enough time to guarantee that does are bred at one buck every fifteen does. 60% or more of the females should cycle out of season if the experiment is successful.

7. Strategies for Goat Farming’s Off-Season Breeding

 Animals with seasonal polyestrous behavior are goats. Going by their short day lengths, both sheep and goats rely heavily on the photoperiod for efficient reproduction. This reproductive characteristic affects goat output and reproduction. Factors such as breed, temperature, physiological stage, influence of males, breeding system, and photoperiod can all impact when springtime arrives. Currently, artificial insemination and estrus synchronization are used to increase the rate of production during the non-breeding season. Programs for selection were initially employed as a useful tactic. Estrus identification beforehand is not necessary with fixed-timed AI. Oestrous synchronization in non-breeding animals is mostly achieved by progesterone-based methods. Some novel methods have been developed for usage with goats in the non-breeding season.

8. Conventional protocol in goats

• Progestogen sponges and pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) have long been effective methods for synchronizing estrus in goats. The most popular and fundamental protocols for goats are controlled internal drug release (CIDR) or intravaginal polyurethane sponges impregnated with progesterone or their synthetic equivalents, such as melengestrol, flourogestone acetate, and medroxyprogesterone. Progesterone is used in conjunction with prostaglandins (PGF2 alpha) and equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG). This is the most straightforward and widely used procedure in goat reproduction.
• Levya et al. (1998) reported that progesterone priming increased the number of follicles stimulated by eCG and, consequently, the ovulation rate in anestrous ewes. The ovulatory wave can also be synchronized by progesterone priming. PGF2α or its equivalents have luteolytic properties, and two injections given to female cycling subjects 11 days apart produce good outcomes.

9. Recent alternatives to the standard techniques for synchronizing goats

1.Short priming protocol

• In this regimen, 200–300 IU of eCG are given at the time of sponge removal and progestagen is only taken for five days. Following device installation, plasmatic P4 levels in anoestrous goats were greater (>5 ng/mL) for 3 or 4 days compared to cyclic females during the mid-late luteal phase. However, they eventually declined to subluteal levels (2 ng/mL) until the completion of the treatment (Rubianes et al., 1998). It has been postulated that low plasmatic P4 concentrations following treatments from the standard 11-day progesterone priming impact LH secretion pattern and consequently, follicular development (oocyte health and ovulation) and fertility.
• Menchaca and Rubianes (2007) noted that in the early stage of the oestrus cycle, the device P4 implantation accelerated the appearance of wave 2 and changed the longevity of the biggest follicle of wave 1. After multiple studies in which cycling dairy goats were given a short P4 priming protocol (5-7 days), it was hypothesised that the effect of P4 on follicular dynamics claimed an unjustified long progestogen/P4 priming. Short priming protocol could be used effectively in both anoestrous and cycling goats.
• Goats who receive a 6-day short-term progestogen priming followed by male effect therapy and AI also exhibit acceptable rates of oestrus behavior (50%) and pregnancy (62.5%) during the non-breeding season (April).

2. Male effect

• For anestrous females, the most natural method of inducing the ovulatory process is through the male effect. Goats do not exhibit cyclicity during the estrous season. The goat’s pituitary gland becomes active when a male is brought into the group after an extended period of absence. The entrance of the male causes endocrine alterations in the doe.
• The sexual activity of male and the receptivity of female determine how successful the male influence is. It should be possible for the male to stimulate females. The male impact is influenced by a variety of circumstances, including stress, male-female interactions and pheromones.
• The effectiveness of the male effect also depends upon the anestrous intensity of the doe. There are two methods to decrease the intensity of anestrous in females and sexually stimulate males. These are photoperiodic stimulation of females/ males and melatonin implants

3. IMA.PRO2 method

Lopez-Sebastian et al. (2014) suggests the IMA.PRO2 technique. By using the masculine effect, this technique triggers ovulation. Progesterone (25 mg) is administered once, at the moment of buck exposure. For early lysis of the induced corpus luteum, 9 days later, 75 µg of cloprostenol is given. They conducted an experiment wherein the IMA.PRO2 technique was compared to intravaginal progesterone impregnated sponge, and after nine days, 350 IU eCG and 75 micrograms of cloprostenol were administered. IMA.PRO2 is an adequate alternative for estrous synchronization during the non-breeding season.

10. Awareness and Adoption of Improved Technologies by Commercial Goat Farmers 

• Goat productivity can be increased with a variety of technologies. Goat productivity is poor in the conventional system of production; the only ways to increase it are through technological and managerial options. The farmers were very aware of the latest technological advancements. To effectively prevent infections and increase productivity, it is necessary to utilize medications for both internal and external parasites, as well as vaccinations against diseases including FMD, HS, and PPR.
• It was discovered that commercial goat farmers who had received training in scientific goat husbandry were adopting various technologies at a promising rate. To make commercial goat farming more successful, there must be a greater uptake of new technologies and access to high-quality breeding stock.

Mortality and Morbidity Losses due to Diseases

• Disease-related mortality and morbidity losses in goats have been a significant barrier to the traditional flocks (Kumar et al., 2003).
• Large flocks kept under intensive systems have a higher chance of contracting specific diseases. Thus an estimate of disease-related losses in goats raised on commercial farms was made. PPR, enterotoxaemia (ET), pox, FMD, diarrhea, and pneumonia were the main illnesses that afflicted goats raised on commercial farms. Abortion, tympani, gidd, external parasites, etc. were among the numerous medical conditions.

11. Development strategies

• Numerous significant development tactics exist that merit consideration. This entails taking genetic improvement into account, setting defined production goals, creating production routes that are compatible with sustainability, carrying out research, and validating research findings (Devendra, 1993).
• Genetic improvement

To increase genetic potential for production, the following strategies can be employed: (1) replace local breeds with imported breeds chosen for these traits (2) import improved breeds crossed with local breeds or later generations from the cross as the production stock and (3) select within a local breed or crossbred population based on local breeds.

• Clear production objectives

It’s critical to have specific goals for goat ownership. The total meat output per animal, the total amount of lean meat in the carcass, growth rate and the total number of animals available for slaughter are all factors that contribute to improving the quantity of meat goats. Included in the overall output, length of lactation and number of lactations to increase the amount of milk produced by goats.

• Continuing research

Sustaining and promoting increased goat production requires ongoing research. Focus should be clearly placed on the traits of the breed, genetic potential, feed resources, nutrition and feeding, physiology, breeding and genetics, improved management techniques, disease prevention and control, and carcass quality and processing. Priorities for research are crucial, and there should be a balance between basic and applied research. Research must focus on the actual issues facing farms and take into account the impoverished and landless people who keep goats

• On-farm validation results

Most research projects under national programs are typically intensive in nature, conducted on experimental stations and lack a broader understanding of farming systems. This tendency must be reversed.

12. Conclusions

High reproductive performance in native goats could be attained by better nutrition, a sturdy housing structure, animal paddocking, breeding control and sufficient ethno-veterinary care to lower mortality and losses and increase prolificacy. Adaptable technological advancements, farmer education, and extension services would all be necessary for goat management at its best.

13. REFERENCES

Devendra, C. (1993). Goat and Sheep in Asia: in Small Ruminant Production in the Humid Tropics; Sebelas Maret University Press, Surakarta, Indonesia, 467pp.Divyanshu, P., Kumar, G., Anjali, G., Shailendra, S., Monalisa, S. and Alok Kumar, S. (2023). Selection of buck and does for breeding in commercial goat farming.Ensminger, M.E. Sheep and Goat Science. 6th ed. Illinois: Interstate Publishers, Inc., 2002.

Jamie stewart. (2021). Puberty and Estrus in Goats. Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. MSD Vet. Manual.

Kumar, S., Vihan, V.S. and Deoghare, P.R. (2003). Economic implication of diseases in goats in India with special reference to implementation of a health plan calendar. Small Ruminant Research, 47: 159-164.

Leyva, V., Buckrell, B.C. and Walton, J.S. (1998). Regulation of follicular activity and ovulation in ewes by exogenous progestagen. Theriogenology, 50: 395–416.

Menchaca, A. and Rubianes. E. (2007). Pregnancy Rate Obtained with Short-term Protocol for Timed Artificial Insemination in Goats. Reproduction in domestic animals. 42(6): 590-593.

Rubianes, E., Castro, T. and Kmaid, S. (1998). Estrous response after a short progesterone priming in seasonally anestrous goats. Theriogenology. 49: 356.

Sebastin, L., Coloma. M., Toledano, A. and Santiago, M.J. (2014). Hormone-free Protocols for the Control of Reproduction and Artificial Insemination in Goats. Reproduction in Domestic Animals. 49, 4(4):22-9

Sodiq and Tawfik, E.S. (2003). The Role and Breeds, Management Systems, Productivity and Development Strategies of Goats in Indonesia: A Review. Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics. 104(1): 71–89.

Thornton, P. K. (2010). Livestock production: recent trends, future prospects. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 2010: 365; 2853-2867. doi:10.1098/rstb.2010.0134. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2935116/