Kabulya Smallholders’ Goat
The perfect goat for subsistence farmers
Currently the ideal goats for smallholder farmers are 50% crosses. However, the typical
milk production is only ½ litre (1 Tampeko, 500 ml) for household use. Our target
is goats that can produce 1½ litres (3 Tampeko, 1500 ml) for household use .
Similarly, the 50% crosses are not as resistant to disease as local goats. In particular,
they need to be dewormed and may be affected by heartwater. Our approach to selective
breeding is designed to steadily improve the disease resistance of the breeding population.
At household level the breed needs to fulfil multiple requirements. One of those
is to provide offspring for selling. So fast growth rate and a meaty conformation
is important, especially in the males.
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Potential partners
We are looking for the following types of partner:
- Groups of smallholder farmers
The Kabulya Smallholders’ Goat is aimed at subsistence
arable farmers. (I.e. they mainly grow crops, but may keep one or two goats as well.)
It would be ideal for the breed development to be carried out by those very farmers.
However, it is too complicated for us to deal with individual farmers, and so we
are looking for groups of farmers as our partners. In our core areas we can help
you to get organised, but in other areas, we are looking for groups that already
have a good level of organisation. - CBOs and NGOs
Especially in places outside our core areas, it is helpful if there
is an organisation in place who can oversee the programme. - Medium to large-scale farmers (ranchers)
The Kabulya Smallholders’ goat does not require
zero-grazing. That makes it useful for people who want to produce goats milk using
a free-grazing system. It is also helpful for the purposes of selective breeding
to have groups of animals managed under identical conditions - which is only possible
if they are all kept on the same farm. We would therefore welcome partnership from
individuals with large farms, or small groups of medium-scale farmers. The size of
operation that would make partnership feasible depends where the farm is. There is
more information on our Where we are active page.
Getting started
The foundation stock for developing the Kabulya Smallholders’ goat are low-grade
crosses between dairy goats and local goats. But the chosen starting point will depend
on the needs of the people involved. For instance, someone who is keeping goats on
a ranch and wants to produce milk for selling may start with at least 50% crosses,
and might push it up to 62% dairy ancestry. (The limit allowed in the breed rules.)
Peri-urban smallholders with a good market for the milk might also favour 50% to
62% crosses.
Conversely, high in the Rwenzori Mountains, where it is difficult for veterinary
officers or extension staff to reach, the main priority is disease resistance. In
that case crosses of just 25% or 37% are the favoured starting point.
Choosing the most appropriate breeding plan is part of the advice that we are able
to give to our partners.