Abstract
Serrana goats are the major Portuguese local breed, reared under a pastoralist system, mainly in mountain regions. Approximately 20,000 adult animals are registered in the respective pedigree book, in small farms normally with fewer than 100 goats. The overall production rate is 1.47 with cabrito, weighing 8–9 kg at 45 days old, for trade. The 150-days normalized milk production is low, less than 100 L in the Transmontano ecotype (11,000 goats), and mainly used in cheese manufacture. The empirical reproductive management and incipient genetic selection program were predominant for the Transmontano, Ribatejano, Jarmelista, and Serra ecotypes over the last three decades. In consequence, the selection of this breed can be considered environment-friendly. According to pedigree record data from 1987, the circannual profile of normal parturitions presents peaks, the first one in January, from goats bred in August, and the second in October for goats bred in May. The 150-days normalized milk production also demonstrates seasonal variations according to the month of goat parturitions for all four ecotypes. We conclude that an overall improvement of genetic, reproductive, and nutritional aspects should be addressed in regard to keeping the Serrana goat breed in pastoralist systems, independently of each ecotype.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Chasles M, Chesneau D, Moussu C et al (2016) Sexually active bucks are efficient to stimulate female ovulatory activity during the anestrous season also under temperate latitudes. Anim Reprod Sci 168:86–91
Chemineau P, Daveau A, Maurice F et al (1992) Seasonality of estrus and ovulation is not modified by subjecting female Alpine goats to a tropical photoperiod. Small Rum Res 8(4):299–312
Chemineau P, Normant E, Ravault JP et al (1986) Induction and persistence of pituitary and ovarian activity in the out-of-season lactating dairy goat after a treatment combining a skeleton photoperiod, melatonin and the male effect. J Reprod Fertil 78(2):497–504
Delgadillo JA, De La Torre-Villegas S, Arellano-Solis V et al (2011) Refractoriness to short and long days determines the end and onset of the breeding season in subtropical goats. Theriogenology 76(6):1146–1151
Delgadillo JA, Flores JA, Hernández H et al (2015) Sexually active males prevent the display of seasonal anestrus in female goats. Horm Behav 69:8–15
Fatet A, Pellicer-Rubio MT, Leboeuf B (2011) Reproductive cycle of goats. Anim Reprod Sci 124(3–4):211–219
Gallego-Calvo L, Gatica MC, Guzmán JL et al (2014) Role of body condition score and body weight in the control of seasonal reproduction in Blanca Andaluza goats. Anim Reprod Sci 151(3–4):157–163
Goetsch AL, Zeng SS, Gipson TA (2011) Factors affecting goat milk production and quality. Small Rum Res 101(1–3):55–63
Gómez-Brunet A, Santiago-Moreno J, Toledano-Díaz A et al (2010) Evidence that refractoriness to long and short day lengths regulates seasonal reproductive transitions in Mediterranean goats. Reprod Domest Anim 45(6):338–343
Leboeuf B, Delgadillo JA, Manfredi E et al (2008) Management of goat reproduction and insemination for genetic improvement in France. Reprod Domest Anim 43(Suppl 2):379–385
Leboeuf B, Manfredi E, Boué P et al (1998) Artificial insemination of dairy goats in France. Livestock Prod Sci 55(3):193–203
Luna-Orozco JR, Guillen-Muñoz JM, De Santiago-Miramontes Mde L et al (2012) Influence of sexually inactive bucks subjected to long photoperiod or testosterone on the induction of estrus in anovulatory goats. Trop Anim Health Prod 44(1):71–75
Matos A (2015a) Fileira da Carne de Cabrito da Raça ‘Serrana’: Estudo de Caso. [The production chain of cabrito from Serrana goat breed: a case study]. In: Proceedings of Capra 2015, Reunião nacional de caprinicultura e ovinicultura, Mirandela 12–14 de novembro, pp 25–30
Matos A (2015b) Fileira do Leite e do Queijo Provenientes da Cabra da Raça ‘Serrana’: Estudo de Caso. [The production chain of milk and cheeses from Serrana goat breed: a case study]. In: Procedings of Capra 2015, Reunião nacional de caprinicultura e ovinicultura, Mirandela 12–14 de novembro, pp 31–36
Min BR, Hart SP, Sahlu T et al (2005) The effect of diets on milk production and composition, and on lactation curves in pastured dairy goats. J Dairy Sci 88(7):2604–2615
Pellicer-Rubio MT, Leboeuf B, Bernelas D et al (2007) Highly synchronous and fertile reproductive activity induced by the male effect during deep anoestrus in lactating goats subjected to treatment with artificially long days followed by a natural photoperiod. Anim Reprod Sci 98(3–4):241–258
Pereira F (2012) Estimativa dos componentes de variância da produção de leite diária da cabra Serrana - Ecótipo Transmontano. Master Thesis, Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
Pereira F (2015) Cabra Serrana, situação atual e perspetivas futuras [Current situation and trends of Serrana Goat]. In: Procedings of Capra 2015, Reunião nacional de caprinicultura e ovinicultura, Mirandela 12–14 de novembro, pp 36–45
Ponce JL, Velázquez H, Duarte G et al (2014) Reducing exposure to long days from 75 to 30 days of extra-light treatment does not decrease the capacity of male goats to stimulate ovulatory activity in seasonally anovulatory females. Domest Anim Endocrinol 48:119–125
Ramírez S, Bedos M, Chasles M et al (2017) Fifteen minutes of daily contact with sexually active male induces ovulation but delays its timing in seasonally anestrous goats. Theriogenology 87:148–153
Rothman KJ, Greenland S, Lash TL (2008) Modern epidemiology, 3rd edn. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia, pp 32–50
Sacoto S (2013) Seasonality of reproduction in Churra da Terra Quente ewes: out-of-season breeding. Ph.D. Thesis—Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real
Sacoto S, Simões J (2016) Prolificity of Portuguese Serrana Goats between 1987 and 2015. Asian Pac J Reprod 5(6):519–523
Salama AA, Caja G, Such X et al (2005) Effect of pregnancy and extended lactation on milk production in dairy goats milked once daily. J Dairy Sci 88(11):3894–3904
SAS (2013) JMP®, Version 11. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA
Simões J, Baril G, Cunha T, et al (2008) Oestrus and ovulatory response of goats with different parity to male effect and short-term progestagen treatment. Reprod Domes Anim 43(5):71 (Abstract P74)
Simões J, Pires AFA (2017) Reproductive disorders in Portuguese Serrana goats and its effects on milk production. Rev Colomb Cıenc Pec (accepted)
Zarazaga LA, Guzmán JL, Domínguez C et al (2005) Effect of plane of nutrition on seasonality of reproduction in Spanish Payoya goats. Anim Reprod Sci 87(3–4):253–267
Zoa-Mboé A, Michaux C, Detilleux JC et al (1997) Effects of parity, breed, herd-year, age, and month of kidding on the milk yield and composition of dairy goats in Belgium. J Anim Breed Genet 114(1–6):201–213
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Manuel Silveira (Ruralbit) and Francisco Pereira (ANCRAS) for the full access to the data of the pedigree records of Serrana Goats .
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Simões, J., Bauer, A. (2017). Reproductive and Milk Production Profiles in Serrana Goats. In: Simões, J., Gutiérrez, C. (eds) Sustainable Goat Production in Adverse Environments: Volume II. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71294-9_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71294-9_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-71293-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-71294-9
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life SciencesBiomedical and Life Sciences (R0)