Breeding objectives, selection criteria and factors influencing them for goat breeds in Jordan

Defined breeding objectives and selection criteria may never be practiced unless the farmer's perceptions and ideals are accommodated. Finding selection criteria that are widely accepted and implemented is a daunting task that requires considerable time and full interaction between scientists and the farmers. A survey was conducted to investigate the breeding objectives and selection criteria adopted by breeders representing different goat breeds and to determine the factors that affect the breeders’ decisions. The importance of breeding objectives to farmers in Jordan was to increase goat performance by adoption of both objective and subjective selection criteria. However, results showed that many of the goat breeders used subjective more than objective selection criteria. Different factors of goat selection were reviewed to ensure that the selection criteria meet the breeding objectives of the farmers. Furthermore, the factors that foster emphasis on doe/buck selection criterion were discussed to achieve the breeding objectives. It is essential that extension strategies to promote use of objective goat breeding criteria to farmers are put in place. In addition, further extension of subjective selection as well as its impact on achieving defined breeding objectives is required in order to increase farmer awareness of its effectiveness.