GREY BRUCE FARMERS WEEKDAIRY GOAT DAY

Thursday 09 January 2014

DAIRY GOATSENTERING THE GLOBAL FOOD

RESEARCH MAINSTREAMRobert Lang

Rural Routes International Ltd

WORLD GOAT POPULATION

World Goats

2001• 771.2 Million Head

2011• 924.2 Million Head• 20% increase over

the decade

GOATS IMPORTANCE IN THE FOOD CHAIN

• 2001• 149 MILLION HEAD

USED FOR MILK• 13.1 MILLION TONNES

OF MILK

• 2011• 187 MILLION HEAD

USED FOR MILK• 17.1 MILLION TONNES

OF MILK

GOATS IMPORTANCE IN THE FOOD CHAIN

• 2001• 320 MILLION HEAD FOR

MEAT• 3.8 MILLION TONNES

OF MEAT

• 2011• 430 MILLION HEAD FOR

MEAT• 5.3 MILLION TONNES

OF MEAT

Renewable Forage Use

ADAPTABILITY and DURABILITY

RETURN ON INVESTMENT

• LOW INPUT/LOW OUTPUT • RESPONSIVE TO IMPROVED INPUT WITH

COMPENSATING OUTPUT• MODERATE GENERATION INTERVAL

COMPARED TO CATTLE• IN DEVELOPING WORLD LANDLESS FARMERS

CAN MANAGE GOATS EASIER THAN OTHER RUMINANTS

HISTORY

RESEARCH DEVELOPMENTS

• HAD TO FOCUS ON PRODUCTION RESEARCH• MANAGEMENT• MARKETING• ECONOMICS• FEEDS, FEEDING and NUTRITION• HEALTH• REPRODUCTION• GENETICS and SELECTION

CHANGE

CHANGES

• GOATS HAVE MOVED INTO THE GLOBAL RESEARCH MAINSTREAM

• GOAT NUTRITION, FEEDS and FEEDING ARE EVOLVING

• FROM IRRATIONAL USE OF APPARENT WATES TO TECHNICALLY SUPPORTED SYSTEMS UTILIZING ALL CLASSES OF AVAILABLE FEEDSTUFFS

Enhanced Reproduction

Artificial Insemination

DAUGHTERS and HALF SISTERSIN CANADA

SIRE and GENE CARRIER

Progeny in Mexico

Trait Heritability

Trait Name Heritability

Milk Yield 0.27

Protein Yield 0.30

Fat Yield 0.29

General Appearance 0.26

Dairy Capacity 0.34

Body Capacity 0.29

Feet and Legs 0.30

Suspensory Ligament 0.26

Fore Udder 0.37

Rear Udder 0.45

Teats 0.36

GENOMICS• IDENTIFICATON

OF GENES • ANIMALS

COMPLETE GENETIC MAKEUP

• MARKERS FOR TRAITS OF INTEREST

• CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR GOAT RESEARCH AND INNOVATION (http://goat.nrdpfc.ca/)

• ONTARIO GOAT ASSOCIATION

• CENTRE FOR GOAT GENETIC EVALUATION (www.ccsi.ca)

THANK YOU