Situation Analysis for the Performance Recording of Australian Meat Goats

Abstract

The data entered into KIDPLAN, the national goat performance recording program in Australia was summarised. The summary includes the number of active breeding animals added since the development of the program, the number of records recorded per trait in 2013 with the average phenotype and variance and, the average EBV and accuracy for various traits since the programs' development. The number of active animals added to the program each year has increased from 299 up to 1526 at the peak and is currently at 1075 animals per year. The most common recorded traits are those for growth followed by carcase traits. Reproductive traits and parasite resistance traits are not commonly recorded by the majority of members despite having economic value. There has been genetic improvement for the growth and carcase traits over the past five years but there has not been any significant progress for reproductive and parasite traits.