Setting up a breeding value estimation for dairy goats in Germany

Summary In Germany, the importance of goat cheese and goat-milk products raised continuously during the last years. Therewith increased the number of dairy goat farms and consistent breeding programs for dairy goat production are needed. Less developed breeding structures were a constraint for setting up breeding value estimation for dairy goats so far. In this study, a regional approach is applied to overcome the structural barriers. Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg are planning to cooperate within their breeding programs. They agreed upon a joint breeding objective of high lifetime dairy performance with high milk ingredients and good robustness. For breeding value estimation a total of 54,955 lactations of German Fawn (BDE) and German...