Performance testing and recording in meat and dairy goats

This contribution reviews the global importance of goat farming in subsistence-based, market-based and high-input production systems and discusses performance recording and performance testing of meat and dairy goats with special reference to the South African environment. Environmental effects, genetic parameters and breeding strategies are considered. Marked progress has been made with performance testing and recording of meat and dairy goats in South Africa, but there is still ample scope for further improvements in the national improvement programmes.