Saanen Goats in Sudan: Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization

Sudan has a large national goat population, nevertheless due to different factors such as poor nutrition, lack of appropriate breeding strategies and poor understanding of the production system as whole, the productivity per animal is relatively low. To overcome the low productivity of goat, exotic breeds were widely introduced to goat production system in the Sudan. The dilemma of animal genetic resources in the Sudan is the paucity of information related to different breeds. Moreover, there are no serious selection programs among local goat types for certain criterion. This book was an attempt to describe goat production system in the country and to highlight the deficient areas where improved management or genetic improvement strategies could be applied expecting to improve goat in the Sudan. Moreover, it would identify opportunities and challenges of goat production. Saanen is the breed of choice as dairy production goat in many tropical countries including Sudan. The productive and reproductive performance of the pure breed and crossbred goat can be improved under good management conditions. The book should be useful to both producers and researchers.