| dc.description.abstract |
The current study aimed at development of breeding objectives and estimation of the economic values for traits of economic
importance to various dairy goat breeders associations. This was achieved through the development of a bio-economic model to
derive economic values for the selected traits. The input and output parameters used represented the average performance of
Saanen, Toggenburg and Alpine breeds. The gross margin was estimated using the R software. Economic values for milk yield
(MY, kg), pre-weaning survival rate (PrSr, %), post-weaning survival rate, (PoSR, %), doe survival rate, (DoSR, %), and kidding rate,
(Kr, %) were estimated based on fixed flock size and fixed feed resources scenarios. The findings indicate varied gross margin
across the breed associations; Saanen (KES 13,656.27), Toggenburg (KES 8,018.53) and Alpine (KES -129.96). In both scenarios,
the economic values in selected traits were positive for the three breeds except for milk yield in Alpine, which was negative in both
fixed flock and fixed feed resources. The positive economic values of selected traits indicated a unit increase in genetic merit of
these traits. The developed bio-economic model was able to estimate the gross margin of Nyanza Dairy Goat Breeders
Association (NDGA), Meru Dairy Goat Breeders Association (MDGA) and Dairy Goat Association of Kenya (DGAK) represented by
Saanen, Toggenburg and Alpine breeds, respectively, reared under semi-intensive production system. The study offers an
opportunity to evaluate genetic and economic merit of alternative strategies for dairy goats reared in semi-intensive production
systems managed by various dairy goat breeders associations. |
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