© 2012 -
The final aim of this programme is to create a new breed of goat, combining the best features of the dairy and local types. In order to achieve this it is necessary to keep good records
This is a big challenge. Record keeping is not routine in Uganda, and no existing project has the level required for this programme.
The picture shows how far we have to go. On a farm that breeds improved meat goats, a local female attracts a pure Savannah, a 75% Boer and a 50% Savannah x local. Whose will the kids be?
The first stage is the mating record which is kept at every buck station. Common mistakes in keeping these records include failure to clearly show which male is used (NB the males are changed frequently) and failure to clearly identify the female. (Often only the keeper’s name is recorded without considering that one keeper may have many goats.)
In order to check up on such issues, it is necessary to make regular follow-
As far as we know, no programme in Uganda keeps a comprehensive herd book, listing all the breeding goats and their grades. (Although some programmes have attempted it.)
In our project areas we want to record every cross-
For this, it is necessary to tag or otherwise identify each goat
Initially, because the concept of record keeping is new to most small-
As the village and parish level groups become more active, they will be increasingly linked until it is possible to bring them together in a national forum which will oversee the future of the record keeping.