A20: Breeding goals and traits of goat production, types, usage and products.

Question 1

What products can goats produce?

Answer 1

• Meat (kid/young goat more frequently used = due to the meat acquiring a “barnyard” scent/taste as
  they get older)
• Milk – cheese
• Wool

Question 2

What are the selection criteria in goats producing milk?

Answer 2

Milk production: Fertility, udder form & shape

Question 3

What are the selection criteria in goats producing meat?

Answer 3

Meat production: Daily weight gain of kids, muscling, prolificacy

Question 4

What are the selection criteria in goats producing wool?

Answer 4

Wool production: Quality of fibres in Angora, Cashmere & Mohair goats

Question 5

Goat meat composition

Answer 5

high protein.
low fat (3%).
breeds: Boer Goat, Anglo-Nubian Goat.

Question 6

Alternative goat products include

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

Typical traits that goat producers want in their selection and breeding program include

Answer 7

• 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

Question 8

Mention some fine wool and fur traits

Answer 8

• 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)

Question 9

Mention some milk production traits of goats

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

Overall breeding goals of goats

Answer 10

• Deliver meat and/or fiber products
• Genetic variation across herd
• Continue with genetic diversity