Our Vision
All over the world, farmers have developed breeds of goat that best suit their situation.
We want to develop a breed that can supply household milk to subsistence farmers
in Uganda.
Disease resistance
The biggest barrier to the adoption of dairy goats in Uganda is the poor disease
resistance of imported breeds. The two biggest challenges are worms and heartwater
(carried by certain types of tick). The local types of goat are tolerant to both
of these. By starting with goats having at least 50% local ancestry, we will ensure
that right from the beginning disease resistance is adequate. The Kabulya open herd
book approach encourages further incorporation of local genetics into the dairy population.
The selection methods that we encourage as part of the selective breeding will further
improve the disease resistance.
Milk production
The Kabulya Smallholders’ Goat (KSG) is a dairy goat, and the breed rules focus on
continual improvement in milk production.
The 50% crosses that we start from typically provide around 500 ml of milk for household
consumption (in addition to feeding their own kids well). Our target is 1,500 ml
per day. We do not need to go any higher than this, because goats that give more
milk will also need better feeding than what is readily and cheaply available to
smallholders.
Getting started
Occasionally it is possible to find a local goat that qualifies as a KSG Grade 1.
But realistically, it is necessary to start from crossbreeds of dairy goats. Examples
are:
- First generation crosses of purebred dairy goats mated to local goats (i.e. 50%).
- First or second generation crosses of 75% dairy goats with local goats (i.e. 37%
or 56% crosses).
- First or second generation crosses of Kabulya Commercial Goat with local goats.
- First, second or third generation crosses of 50% dairy goats with local goats (i.e.
25%, 37% or 44% crosses).
- First or second generation crosses of KSG Grade 3 or higher, mated to local goats.
The Grades
Our breeding programme makes it easy for anyone to get started, but also provides
a framework for breed improvement. Grades are not determined by percentage of exotic
blood but by performance. We define six grades. In order to qualify as a particular
grade, the goat must either have both parents of at least that grade or the milk
must be measured at least 4 months after the goat delivered and must reach the following
thresholds:
- For Grade 1: 250 ml per day
- For Grade 2: 500 ml per day
- For Grade 3: 750 ml per day
- For Grade 4: 1000 ml per day
- For Grade 5: 1250 ml per day
- For Grade 6: 1500 ml per day
Grade 1 goats are barely worth milking. But we include them in the grading process
so that it is possible to join the breeding programme even with goats having very
little dairy ancestry.
The description above gives a basic framework. The detailed rules are a bit more
complicated, but still feasible in the Ugandan village setting. They are available
here.
You are free to apply the Kabulya breeding system for yourself. But you may also
choose to partner with us, to benefit from technical advice, verification of your
breeding stock and help with marketing your surplus offspring.
Meat production
The ideal goat for smallholders must fulfil many functions. Although we hope that
in the short term most females that are sold will be for breeding, it is likely that
the majority of males will be sold for slaughter. It is therefore important to acknowledge
that the breed will be used for meat as well as milk. So fast growth and adequate
fatness, especially of the males, will be important.