Evaluation of Brazilian Dairy Goat Breeding Programs

Abstract Text: This work aimed to evaluate the genetic and economic gains for two selection schemes for dairy goats in Brazil. Analyses were performed by ZPLAN software. The traditional scheme had no economic viability, except with high levels (>=60%) of using nucleus bucks on commercial flocks. However, this has no practical feasibility due the low use of artificial insemination in Brazil. The progeny testing of young bucks presented viability, with considerable genetic gains for the selection objective and the individual traits that make up this goal. The economic returns of the program outweighed its costs, with an investment return of 20%. In this scheme, the trait of greater economic impact was milk yield followed by somatic cell count. The amount of using of young bucks should be up to 15% since higher levels reduce the economic efficiency of the program.

Keywords:

dairy goats

economic evaluation

genetic gain and profit