Production systems of Creole goat and their implications for a breeding programme

Abstract

The Creole goat is a local meat breed well adapted to the tropical environment of Guadeloupe, a French island in the Caribbean. A survey of 47 goat farmers was conducted in May 2008 to describe the Guadeloupean goat farming systems. It was the preliminary step for the implementation of a breeding programme for Creole goats. Farmers had 31 does on average. A small number (4%) kept only Creole goats. Most of them (62%) had a mixed herd of Creole and crossbreds. One-third of them (34%) reared only crossbred goats. Farmers appreciate the rusticity and resistance of the Creole goat but consider its growth as too slow. The most desired traits for goat selection were conformation and growth for males (77% of the answers). These traits were also important for females (30% of the answers). Maternal qualities were also frequently cited (maternal behaviour 23%, reproduction 20% and milk production 17%). Disease resistance was not seen as an important trait (10% and 7% of the answers for bucks and does, respectively). A typology constituted of five groups of farmers was also created. Farmers of three groups were retained to participate at a selection programme. They kept Creole goats and have expressed a strong willingness to join a selection programme. The results of the survey suggest that a breeding programme should mostly focus on the Creole goat as a maternal breed. Real consideration should be given to disease resistance. The Creole goat has indeed a key role to play in the sustainability of local farming systems.

Economic values of body weight, reproduction and parasite resistance traits for a Creole goat breeding goal

“…The traits included in the breeding objective were close to the traits desired by farmers, as reported in a survey (Gunia et al, 2010). Creole goats are an indigenous breed, whose Economic values of body weight, reproduction and parasite resistance traits for a Creole goat breeding goal meat production is important to farmers.…”

“…The level of management modelled for the farm used in this study was above average relative to those farms registered in the Cabricoop breeding organisation. This model farm represented the management and farming practices observed in most Cabricoop farms (Gunia et al, 2010). Some practices described in the model (such as three kiddings in 2 years and selective anthelmintic treatment of does) were not found in all Cabricoop farms.…”

“…As shown in a survey (Gunia et al, 2010), goat breeding is a supplementary professional activity. The small size of herds (about 30 does) and the 2709h profit per year are not sufficient to maintain this activity alone.…”

“…Selection on adaptative as well as productivity traits has been advised for tropical areas (Shrestha and Fahmy, 2007) due to the specific constraints (climate, diseases, poor feeding) of the environment. As shown by a survey (Gunia et al, 2010), farmers wish to improve the meat production of the Creole breed as well as its reproductive performance. Disease resistance traits should also be included in the breeding objective, because of the high prevalence of gastro-intestinal nematodes -E-mail: nathalie.mandonnet@antilles.inra.fr such as Heamonchus sp.…”

Contribution of research to a breeding programme for Creole goats in Guadeloupe

“…As a first step, a survey of goat farmers was conducted by INRA (Gunia et al, 2010a). Herd management was studied.…”