The rate of inbreeding per generation in five Dutch goat breeding programs is no longer structurally too high. Breeding policy adapted since 2016 has been effective in practice. This is the outcome of an evaluation of these breeding programs of the Dutch goat breeding organization NOG.
A good and effective breeding policy is important to preserve the identity of the breed and keep the breed a vital population. A breeding policy is effective in practice if individual breeders take it into account in their breeding decisions. The Centre for Genetic Resources, the Netherlands (CGN), part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), evaluated the breeding programs of the local breeds Dutch White goat, Dutch Pied original goat and Dutch Toggenburg goat. And, additionally, Boer goat and Nubian goat. NOG is the recognized breed organization for these breeds.
Inbreeding has decreased
A breeding program is balancing between realizing genetic progress towards the breeding goals and controlling the increase in inbreeding per generation. The increase in inbreeding per generation is no longer structurally too high in any of the breeds, which was the case until 2016. In the last generation, inbreeding even decreased. This was achieved by adjusting the breeding regulations to widen the selection of bucks and by using bucks from external populations. Maintaining the active breeding population, selecting sufficient young animals as breeding animals that are as little related to the population as possible and limiting the influence of an individual breeding animal on the next generation are also relevant aspects to consider.
Use enough males for breeding
The size of the populations Boer goat and Dutch Toggenburg is relatively small, and in these small populations it is even more important to keep sufficient young bucks for breeding every year. Routine calculation of the "mean kinship" (average relationship of an animal with a group of animals) with the active breeding population can provide insight. In order to control the number of breeding animals per father, breeders need up-to-date information on the number of breeding animals that have already been selected per father.
Supplementing the genebank
For the three Dutch breeds (White, Dutch Pied original and Dutch Toggenburg goat), bucks have been identified who are an addition to the collection of semen in the genebank for farm animals of CGN. It is advised to collect semen from these bucks to freeze for the genebank.
