Transcript Goats: BreedingLora Sommers Jump to first page I. BREEDING SYSTEMS. A. Different breeding systems offer advantages and disadvantages. 1.

Goats: Breeding
3116
Lora Sommers
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I. BREEDING SYSTEMS.
A. Different breeding systems offer
advantages and disadvantages.
1. The most important factor in the
development of breeding animals is
selection.
2. Some breeding systems are used
more often in commercial operations
than in purebred operations and vice
versa.
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3. Several factors should be considered in
determining the breeding system to use:
a. Climatic conditions - some breeds and crosses
are more adaptable to certain weather conditions
than others.
b. Markets - the location and type of market will
influence the breeding system used.
c. Knowledge of genetics - some breeding
systems are genetically more complicated than
others.
d. Size of operation - certain breeding systems
require more space than others.
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3. Several factors should be considered in
determining the breeding system to use:
e. Personal preference - this has a direct
influence on the system selected as some
individuals prefer one system over another.
f. Available resources - this includes financing,
equipment, and labor.
g. Goals of the breeder - the production and
economic goals of the breeder can dictate which
system is used.
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B. Grading up.
1. Grading up is the process of mating
purebred males to commercial females.
a. The purpose of this system is to improve
the quality, develop uniformity, and increase
performance in the offspring or progeny.
b. Breeding replacement females from
within the commercial herd back to purebred
sires results in offspring that are more
genetically like the purebred sire.
c. A noticeable improvement through the
fourth generation can be expected when this
system is used. After the fourth generation,
the herd will carry 94 percent of the purebred
characteristics of the sire.
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C. Crossbreeding.
1. Crossbreeding is the mating of two different
purebred animals.
2. Many commercial breeder refer to the progeny of
grade animals as one breed mated to a purebred
sire with the result being crossbreds or F1's.
3. This system may be referred to as indiscriminate
crossbreeding.
4. Two principal reasons for crossbreeding are to
combine the desirable characteristics of two or more
purebreds to form a new group of individuals which
will have greater adaptability and to produce hybrid
vigor or heterosis.
5. New breeds have been developed through
working with this system, but more commercial
breeders are interested in developing quality
offspring than in starting a new breed.Jump to first page
D. Inbreeding.
1. This is a practice of breeding animals that
have closely related ancestors on both sides
within the last four or five generations.
2. Inbreeding is used more in purebred
operations than in commercial operations.
3. The purposes for inbreeding are to
concentrate the inheritance and to fix
desirable traits in a group of animals.
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E. Linebreeding.
1. This is less intense form of inbreeding which
is used to maintain and further improve
animals.
2. Like inbreeding, linebreeding is more often
used in purebred operations.
3. The breeder using the linebreeding system
should recognize the potentials and
limitations.
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II. Selecting a Breeding Season
A. An integral part of the returns from
the producer's investment is
affected by the selection of the
breeding season and the related
birth season.
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B. A number of factors must be considered in
selecting a breeding season.
1. Climatic conditions - A particularly important
consideration since it affects the amount of
equipment, feed, and housing needed.
2. Available labor - This may determine the system
of mating to use, as well as the time of year the
offspring are born.
3. Time animals are to be marketed - Prices are
usually better during certain periods of the year.
4. Equipment and housing available.
5. Availability of grazing.
6. Livestock show dates.
7. Purpose for which livestock is produced.
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A. Season of birth, temperature,
nutrition, rate of maturity, and
heredity affect the age at which
animals reach puberty.
B. It should be emphasized that age
of puberty and breeding age are
two distinct areas.
1. Just because an animal has reached
puberty does not mean that it is capable
of reproducing.
2. Usually, it is advisable to allow animals
to develop and mature after reaching
puberty.
3. Breeding ages will vary according to
the development of the animals within a
breed and among the breeds within a
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specie.
4. Although the recommended breeding age varies, the
doeling can be bred when she reaches nine months of age
or about 75-95 pounds, if she is in very good health
C. Breeding ages for males.
1. Breeding ages of males is not as important as for the
female.
2. The principle consideration is the number and quality of
offspring that the male can sire in a given season.
3. Total number of services allowed will vary according to
age, development, health, temperament, condition,
breeding system used (hand or pasture mating), and
distribution of services.
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IV. Reproductive Cycles of Goats
A. Factors that control reproductive cycles of females
include:
1. Duration of the heat period (estrus).
2. Duration of the heat interval (estrous).
3. Time of ovulation in relation to heat.
4. Gestation period for pregnant females.
B. The heat interval (estrous) is the internal
reproductive and hormonal changes the female has
on a scheduled basis after reaching puberty.
C. The heat period (estrus) is a part of the heat
interval during which the hormones estrogen and
progesterone are secreted by the female ovaries.
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D. Does begin to cycle in the late summer and show
signs of heat (estrus) for 2-3 days about every 21
days until mid-March.
E. The strongest heat cycles occur in November,
December, and January.
1. These hormones, especially estrogen, cause outward
signs of receptivity to breeding to which males can respond.
Signs of heat in the does are restlessness, bleating,
bossiness, frequent urination, flagging tail and a swollen,
red or wet vulva.
2. Count 21 weeks ahead on the calendar (5 months) and
mark the due date.
3. She will kid in about 145 to 151 days.
4. A mature doe often carries twins or triplets.
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5. To maintain milk production over a period of years, you will
want to breed you doe once a year.
6. Breed her about seven months after she kids.
7. Continue to milk her until about two months before the kid is
due.
a. At that time, dry her up by switching her to dry feed and
cutting out concentrates.
b. Do not milk her for seven days.
c. When her udder fills up, the pressure will turn the doe's
system away from milk producing.
d. At the end of the week, milk her out again.
e. You may have to milk her out slightly before that, if she
is an especially heavy milker.
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V. Raising The Kid
A. When a doe has kids, her system produces an especially
thick rich milk, almost yellow in color which is known as
colostrum.
B. The colostrum is high in protein, minerals and vitamin A.
1. It contains antibodies which help protect the kids from
diseases.
2. It also serves as a mild laxative and helps clean the prenatal
residue from the digestive system of the newborn kid.
3. It is very important that the kid receive this colostrum for the
first three days after birth.
4. The first feed should be within 20-30 minutes after it is born.
5. Without the colostrum, the kid probably will not survive.
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C. At birth, the kid weighs approximately 7-9 pounds.
1. Following the three-day colostrum feeding period (feed
approximately one pint of colostrum two time daily), the kid
may be changed to cow's milk or fed a good milk replacer
(same feed used for dairy calves) if the mother's milk is
needed for human consumption.
2. Some kids do not take to milk replacer.
a. If scours (diarrhea) occurs, return the kid to its mother's
milk.
b. The kid should receiver 2-3 pints of milk each day (or the
equivalent in milk replacer) in 2-3 feedings until it is weaned.
c. It is best to feed from a nipple bottle or a nipple pail.
d. Most kids can be weaned at 8 - 12 weeks of age.
e. Be sure to clean and sanitize all feeding equipment after
feeding.
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D. At 2-3 weeks of age, the kid should be offered a small
amount of concentrate mix.
1. A good calf starter with 16-18 percent crude protein should be
adequate.
2. Start offering good quality green hay at the same time
concentrate feeding is begun.
3. A mixture of good quality hays -- such as alfalfa/sudan grass
or alfalfa/prairie -- is preferable to an all-alfalfa or all-grass hay.
4. Feed hay and concentrate mix twice daily and only what the
kid will clean up.
5. Be careful not to overfeed.
6. Supply clean, fresh water at all times.
E. Kids that do well should gain from 1/4 - ½ pound per
day so that they will reach a weight of 85-90 pounds
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by breeding age.
VI. Castrating Buck Kids
A. If you do not wish to keep your buck kid for
breeding purposes, castrate him before he
is two weeks old.
B. This can be done with a clean, disinfected
knife or use an elastrator.
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