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Alaminos Goat Farm Mitra Line Breeding Program
July 16,2010
AGF Mitra Line (ML) breeding program is off to a good start. Line breeding to be practiced for the ML is the mating of related animals, but of less close relationship than first degree. Breeding half brother to half sister would be the cornerstone of the ML breeding program in search for predictability and uniformity in the offsprings.
AGF Obama and AGF Clinton (2011) will form the core of the line breeding program towards the line of AGF Louca Darwyn. Both bucks share the same sire AGF Louca Darwyn.
AGF long term strategy of line breeding for the Mitra Line (ML), together with strict selection is expected to result in uniformity of the offspring produced. The ML breeding program aims to produce brown colored doelings and black colored bucks. Uniformity of appearance and performance of line bred goats springs directly from the fact that line breeding increases genetic uniformity since their parents are related. The uniformity can result to goats with very good looks and performance.
Breeding Objective for Mitra Line Breeding Program
Color Brown, Black tan, tri color
Kidding weight 3 kilos doeling 3.5 kilos buckling
Weaning weight 90 days 15 kilos doeling 17.0 kilos buckling
Weight 300 days 32 kilos doeling 40.0 kilos buckling
Body conformation big barrel and bone structure (meat)
angular (dairy)
Udder development
Milking Performance 2 liters 305 days lactation
These are initial numbers that would later be modified as we make progress and collect more data in the ML breeding program
The starting strain started with the original Mitra line- does and AGF Sodel, at the start of the ML breed improvement program in 2005. In 2007, AGF imported AGF Louca Darwyn and AGF Edgar from Australia to improve the Mitra line. The selection practices will determine the relative quality of the end product.
Predictability and consistency is the reason why we choose line breeding. AGF wants to produce big barrel and bone structure for the meat type ML.
The strength of line breeding is that it increases homogeneity, and predictability. The close relation of the ML being bred makes AGF on its toes to be on the look out for any signs of loss of vigour and drop in reproductive performance. Selection will help offset these and will result to a productive, vigorous and reproductively sound Mitra Line breed.
Alaminos Goat Farm's committment is to line breed and develop consistent, productive Mitra lines that are predictable for performance and adaptable to the tropical environment of the Philippines. We will use this strategy to produce the Mitra Line goats we want that will make us proud to be their breeder.
*Much of the idea in line breeding came from reading Dr. Sponenberg DVM, PhD, Professor, Pathology and Genetics at Virginia - Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
Dr. Synan Baguio of PCARRD also contributed his inputs about the Mitra Line Breeding Program.
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