Designing a breeding programme for goats

Designing a breeding programme for goats and sheep is akin to laying the foundation of a building. Just as a strong foundation ensures a structure’s stability, functionality, and longevity, a well-planned breeding programme is critical for the success and sustainability of livestock production.

Responding to several inquiries regarding what farmers must consider when designing their breeding programmes, our previous instalment focused on the importance of defining clear breeding objectives, evaluating existing stock, and selecting an appropriate breeding system.

This week, we delve deeper into the process, examining additional critical components that ensure the success of a breeding programme.

From sourcing genetically diverse breeding stock to implementing robust health and biosecurity measures, we unpack actionable insights to help farmers maximise productivity and profitability in goat and sheep farming.

Source and select breeding stock to ensure genetic quality and diversity. Introducing new, high-quality genetics is crucial for avoiding inbreeding and enhancing both genetic quality and diversity.

To achieve this, it is essential to acquire breeding stock from reputable breeders and select animals based on performance records and traits that align with your breeding objectives.

Performance testing plays a key role in ensuring that the new stock meets your standards.

Maintaining genetic diversity within a flock or herd is equally important. Farmers should regularly rotate rams or bucks and introduce fresh genetics by sourcing breeding stock from different origins.

This practice helps prevent the concentration of genetic defects and fosters a healthier, more resilient herd.

Implement biosecurity and health management measures. Implementing biosecurity and health management measures is crucial for maintaining a healthy flock or herd.

A comprehensive health management programme should include regular vaccinations, de-worming, and health checks.

For instance, goats should be vaccinated against common diseases like pulpy kidney disease.

Regularly check for both internal and external parasites and treat them accordingly to ensure the breeding stock remains healthy.

Biosecurity measures are essential to protect your animals.

New stock must be tested for diseases before being introduced as a matter of standard procedure.

In addition, farmers must implement a quarantine period for new animals. A thorough health management plan, encompassing vaccination and timely treatment, helps prevent the spread of diseases.

Nutritional management

Providing a balanced diet that meets the nutritional needs of breeding animals is essential, especially during critical periods like gestation and lactation.

For example, supplement the diet of pregnant does with additional protein and minerals to support foetal development and milk production.

Ensure access to high-quality forage, grains, and mineral supplements. Given that the cost of feed is the single biggest expense in livestock breeding, farmers must invest in the capacity to grow and produce their own feed on the farm.

Locally produced feed should be tested to determine its nutritional value, ensuring optimum benefits for the animals and value for the farmer.

Breeding schedule

Develop your breeding calendar in a way that is aligned with optimal breeding seasons and market demands.

For instance, you can plan your breeding to ensure kidding and lambing occur around November when the veld is green, which provides significant benefits.

This will ensure that both the mothers and kids and lamps have almost six months of lush grass which is quite beneficial to the animals.

Kidding and lambing during the dry season, while advantageous due to lower parasite prevalence, can pose challenges, particularly if the farmer has limited capacity to produce on-farm feed.

Farmers should also align their breeding plan with peak market demands for goat and sheep meat, such as Christmas holidays and religious festivals, to maximise profitability.

Monitor and record performance through record-keeping

Farmers must maintain detailed records to help in effective breeding management.

As we said in our previous instalment of the importance of record keeping in goats and sheep production, make sure to keep track of mating dates, parentage, birth dates and performance data such as growth rates of offspring.

This information helps in the identification of productive breeding pairs and in informing future breeding decisions.

Regular health checks are also important in ensuring early detection and management of diseases or genetic disorders.

Culling strategy

A breeding plan must always include established criteria for culling animals that do not meet the breeding objectives or have health and reproductive issues.

For example, cull ewes that consistently produce weak or small lambs to improve overall flock quality and productivity.

Additionally, consider culling animals with chronic health problems, poor growth rates, or those that fail to conceive after multiple breeding attempts.

Implementing a rigorous culling strategy helps to enhance the genetic quality of the herd and ensures that resources are allocated to the most productive animals, thereby increasing overall efficiency and profitability.

Regular monitoring of breeding plan

Regular and ongoing monitoring of the breeding plan’s progress should be mandatory for every farmer, including evaluating the performance of offspring against the set objectives.

For instance, assess lamb weaning weights and compare them to target weights and adjust the breeding plan as necessary, based on the evidence from the data generated.

In addition, there is need to regularly review fertility rates, growth rates and overall health indicators of the herd to ensure that breeding goals are being met.

This allows the farmer to implement timely interventions and the optimisation of breeding strategies for improved productivity and profitability.

Maintaining general hygiene and animal welfare

Ensure that breeding practices adhere to high standards of hygiene and animal welfare by providing a stress-free environment and proper care.

For example, maintain clean and spacious living conditions, provide adequate shelter from extreme weather, and handle animals gently to reduce stress and improve overall health.

There is need to ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of housing areas to prevent disease outbreaks and ensure that animals have continuous access to clean water and nutritious feed.

Farmers must also implement a routine health check schedule to monitor the wellbeing of the animals.

This will help in ensuring that any health issues that arise are promptly attended to.

Prioritising animal welfare will not only enhance their quality of life but will also contribute to better breeding outcomes and overall farm productivity.

Market considerationsSince goat and sheep farming is done for profit, farmers need to align their breeding plan with market demands and consumer preferences.

For instance, if there is a high market demand for organic goat meat, focus on breeding goats that thrive on a natural diet and can be marketed as organic.

Similarly, farmers should consider breeding sheep with desirable quality meat such as Meatmaster and Damara if there is a strong market for sheep meat.As the saying goes, “Know your market; cater to its demands.”

Farmers must ensure they produce animals that meet market standards to be profitable. Understanding and responding to consumer trends and preferences is a key success factor on goat and sheep farming.

Conclusion

Designing, implementing, and regularly assessing a goat and sheep breeding programme is essential for productivity and profitability. A well-structured programme helps farmers set clear objectives, select superior breeding stock, and introduce genetic diversity, enhancing herd quality and resilience.

Key elements include optimal breeding schedules, strict biosecurity measures, health management, and balanced nutrition to support critical periods like gestation and lactation.

Regular assessment allows for performance monitoring, timely culling of underperforming animals, and strategic adjustments to meet market demands.

This ensures breeding objectives are consistently achieved, improving productivity, animal welfare, and the sustainability and profitability of farming operations.

Sheuneni Kurasha is the managing director of Chivara Farm, a diversified farming operation which specialises in stud breeding for small livestock (Boer goats, Kalahari Red goats, Savanna goats, dairy goats (Saanen and Toggenburg), Damara sheep and Meatmaster sheep) as well as Boran cattle. For feedback, kindly get in touch on email: kurashas@gmail.com; X: @chivarafarm or WhatsApp: +263 77 2874 523.-herald