Use of dairy goat records in selection

Participation by goat owners in the National Cooperative Dairy Herd Improvement Program (NCDHIP) has been increasing, reaching 13 534 does in 1411 herds on test on January 1, 1981. Lactation records obtained through NCDHIP are used for management, promotion, and selection. Selection is the most effective technique for attaining genetic improvement; the rate of improvement depends on accuracy and intensity of selection. Records are adjusted to remove such environmental effects on production as age at kidding, season of kidding, and lactation length for incomplete records, thereby improving the accuracy of selection decisions. In computing production from periodic measurements, the shape of the lactation curve early in lactation is taken into account. Other environmental effects are accounted for by expressing doe production as a deviation from production of other does in the herd. The rate of genetic improvement can be increased by more intense selection of bucks. However, few bucks presently receive the widespread use required for accurate evaluations. Production records accumulated nationally show a high proportion with doe identification conforming to national standards. Only 99 percent of does with records received January through June, of 1981 had missing or invalid identification

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	131415 Wiggans, G.R., 6757 Dairy Goat Journal Publishing Co., Scottsdale, AZ (EUA), 33022 3. International Conference on Goat Production and Disease Tucson, AZ (EUA) 10-15 Ene 1982
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Published:	Scottsdale, AZ (EUA) 1982
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