Indigenous goat meat potentialities and the impact of the management mode on herds performances in Tunisian arid area

Data obtained from the survey of 10 local goat herds were analyzed to establish the impact of management mode on local goat performances, with the aim of identifying the possibilities of improving goat production via the handling of flock management. In extensive husbandry on rangelands, the local population registered low performances which are similar to those known for indigenous caprine breeds of marginal zones. Average kid's weight was 5.1 kg at one month old. The kid's birth weight increased with about 21%, but the oasian kids’ superiority seems to progressively elapse with only 2% at four months old. Thus, genetic evolution promoted growth performances as a biological priority for producing caprine meat which remains the principal herds’ output. Whereas, dairy performances needing high nutritive requirements were seriously reduced by the natural selective process.