Research and Training Strategies for Goat Production Systems in ...

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Potential of goats in the arid sweet bushveld of the Northern Province Izak du Plessis Mara Agricultural Development Centre Introduction Small stock at present plays a small but important role in agriculture in the Northern Province. Apart from few farmers with large flocks of goats (mainly Boer goats) most other farmers also keep small flocks of goats (∀ 15 - 20 goats). Communal farmers keep these small flocks for rations for their labourers for a number of other reasons (religion, rituals, own consumption, etc). Reproduction A trial with Boer goats and indigenous goats were conducted at Mara ADC from 1988 to 1991. The two flocks were managed as to simulate the management that they are traditionally subjected to. The Boer goats were manage intensively, having a breeding season (1 July to 15 August), treated when ill and had dosing, dipping and inoculation programmes. The Indigenous goats were mated throughout the year. Originally, they received no treatments but later on they were treated to lower the mortality rate and rather increase the output (production and economic outputs) of the flock. Animals that were treated, were culled as well as the kids if the ewe was treated before the kids were weaned. They also did not have dosing, dipping and inoculation programmes. The following are some of the results from this trial. The data for the different years were pooled (Table 1) and suggests that the Boer goats have more multiple births (11.2%) than the Indigenous goats. Table 1 The frequency of single and multiple births in Boer- and Indigenous goats Breed % Single % Multiple Boer goat 34.4 65.6 Indigenous goat 45.6 54.4 From Tables 2 and 3 it can be deducted that both breeds have a high fecundity rate and that the Boer goats have a moderate conception rate. With a kidding interval of less than 240 days the Indigenous goats were able to compensate for the lower number of multiple births that occurred. Table 2 Reproduction performance of the Boer goats Year n Mated n Kidded n Born n Weaned n Kidded/ n Mated n Born/ n Kidded 1988 35 21 27 25 0.60 1.29 1989 36 24 37 32 0.67 1.54 1990 30 12 17 13 0.40 1.42 1991 26 21 39 24 0.84 1.86 Total 126 78 120 94 0.62 1.54 Table 3 Reproduction performance of the Indigenous goats 46
Year n Kidded n Born n Weaned n Born/ n Kidded Kidding interval 1988 42 60 39 1.43 225.3 ∀ 59.61 1989 57 88 42 1.54 232.8 ∀ 67.75 1990 78 113 39 1.45 236.0 ∀ 53.17 1991 93 137 69 1.47 248.7 ∀ 68.14 Total 270 398 189 1.47 238.2 ∀ 66.09 It seems that both breeds are reproductively adapted and will be able to contribute significantly to goat production. Intake A small stock comparison trial started in February 1997 that included the two goat breeds as well as Pedi and Dorper sheep. All flocks are managed the same. As all the flocks were not at the same reproductive stage, all flocks had been synchronised for the period February 1997 to July 1998. In July 1998 all flocks were mated at the same time. In February 1998 an intake study started. The frequency at which the different plant species is selected is determined through direct observation. Four animals per breed are observed for 100 bites on a monthly base. The results are summarised for February to October and are divided into a summer and a winter period. No forbs are mentioned, because such a wide range was selected that it was only Heliotropium ciliatum that was selected at a significant frequency. Table 4 Frequency of intake of the different grazing components Boer goat Indigenous goat Pedi sheep Dorper sheep Summer Winter Summer Winter Summer Winter Summer Winter Grasses 12.3 36.2 6.4 30.6 52.0 65.6 59.8 80.0 Trees and shrubs 44.3 44.9 46.6 54.4 10.6 22.9 1.1 14.3 Forbs 43.4 18.8 47.0 15.0 37.4 11.5 30.2 5.6 Unlike a previous intake study at Mara ADC, early results of the current intake study suggests that the selection patterns of the Boer goats and the Indigenous goats do not differ significantly (Table 4). In the previous study it was reported that the Boer goats selected 22% of their diet as grass species and that the indigenous goats selected 49% grass species. Although the previous study did not take seasonal variations into account, the present study clearly indicates that all breeds involved alter their selection pattern during winter by decreasing their frequency at which forb species were selected and by increasing the frequency at which grass species were selected. The sheep breeds also increased the frequency at which tree and shrub species were selected. During summer the tree species Commiphora pyracanthoides was selected most by the goat breeds, while the sheep mainly selected the grass species Urochloa mosambiscencis (Table 5). During winter both goat breeds selected Boscia albitrunca most frequently. The sheep breeds also increased the frequency at which they selected Boscia albitrunca significantly. It is apparent that 47
Page 1 and 2: Research and Training Strategies fo
Page 3 and 4: Goat breeding and reproduction 1. R
Page 5 and 6: Welcoming address NH Casey Head: De
Page 7 and 8: understandable that the efficiency
Page 9 and 10: Winrock International, 1992. Assess
Page 11 and 12: 3. Investigate the potential benefi
Page 13 and 14: The Australian goat industries Barr
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Page 17 and 18: expose others in the community to t
Page 19 and 20: Table 2 Total slaughtering during 1
Page 21 and 22: In the Northern Province a major co
Page 23 and 24: history of communal land use. The v
Page 25 and 26: Table 2 The livestock ownership pat
Page 27 and 28: Data analysis Data was analysed usi
Page 29 and 30: Dyamala Melani Univ. of Fort Hare R
Page 31 and 32: Illius, A.W. and O' Connor, T.G., i
Page 33 and 34: achieved in other parts of the worl
Page 35 and 36: The main disease identified was coc
Page 37 and 38: Table 2 Milk yields and milk compos
Page 39 and 40: supplementation in the form of luce
Page 41 and 42: Results Mean weights of goats from
Page 43 and 44: productivity of ruminants, is furth
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Page 49: profit from skins on the farm. It m
Page 53 and 54: Table 6 Most preferred grass, tree
Page 55 and 56: the hair) of the various breeds is
Page 57 and 58: The down fibre diameter profile of
Page 59 and 60: Biological constraints and opportun
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Page 63 and 64: Feeding behaviour of free range goa
Page 65 and 66: habits of goats have demonstrated a
Page 67 and 68: R. lucida, 203.8 230.0 146.1 186.5
Page 69 and 70: Provenza, F.D., Burritt, E.A., Clau
Page 71 and 72: Treatments involved different combi
Page 73 and 74: programme following chemical bush c
Page 75 and 76: Potential of some agroforestry shru
Page 77 and 78: Jones, R.J. Value of Leucaena leuco
Page 79 and 80: Table 4 Total supplement intake (kg
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Page 85 and 86: Communal goat production In communa
Page 87 and 88: Rwandan goats (21 months). The dela
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Page 91 and 92: Cervical insemination of indigenous
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Page 99 and 100: Management of goats at pasture Barr
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1 Cradock Experimental Station, PO
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Table 2 Percentage raw combed cashm
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Our current ability to select, mani
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103 farming operations in Southern
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UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE CURRENT AND
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MARA RESEARCH STATION, DEPARTMENT O
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The billy goats also received light
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Goat research at Medunsa EF Donkin
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4. New Research Projects Using the
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UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA Computerised
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Expected Benefits * The research re
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119 of healthy and nutritious produ
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121 farming systems. The following
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