Animal Molecular Breeding, 2024, Vol.14, No.6, 370-379 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 370 Research Insight Open Access Effective Seasonal Breeding Strategies to Improve Goat Reproduction Rates Guoxiang Li 1,2, Liuhui Li 1, Chengjie Zhang3 1 Jiande Lijia Dayuan Family Farm Co., Ltd., Jiande, Zhejiang, 311604, China 2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 30021, China 3 Party Mass and Convenience Service Center in Meicheng Town, Jiande, Zhejiang, 311604, China Corresponding author: cheung2927@qq.com Animal Molecular Breeding, 2024, Vol.14, No.6 doi: 10.5376/amb.2024.14.0039 Received: 09 Nov., 2024 Accepted: 12 Dec., 2024 Published: 23 Dec., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Li et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Li G.X., Li L.H., and Zhang C.J., 2024, Effective seasonal breeding strategies to improve goat reproduction rates, Animal Molecular Breeding, 14(6): 370-379 (doi: 10.5376/amb.2024.14.0039) Abstract This study aims to explore seasonal breeding strategies to enhance goat reproduction rates, particularly effective measures for the non-breeding season. By adjusting photoperiods and applying the "male effect," sexual activity in goats can be stimulated, achieving estrus synchronization. Additionally, using dairy cow feed residues as nutritional supplements in a circular economy approach significantly enhances goat reproductive performance. The study also examines the efficacy of hormone treatments, including hCG and kisspeptin analogs, in improving ovulation rates and embryo implantation. Findings indicate that effectively leveraging environmental cues in combination with nutritional and hormonal treatments can improve reproductive efficiency in goats, contributing to year-round stable production and promoting the sustainable development of the goat farming industry. Keywords Goat reproduction; Seasonal breeding; Photoperiod regulation; Male effect; Circular economy 1 Introduction Goat reproduction is a critical aspect of livestock management, particularly in regions where goats are a primary source of meat, milk, and other dairy products. Goats are typically seasonal breeders, with their reproductive cycles influenced by environmental factors such as photoperiod and nutrition (Delgadillo, 2011; Khan et al., 2019). This seasonality can lead to fluctuations in the availability of goat products, impacting market supply and producer income (Bustamante-Andrade et al., 2021). The economic importance of goats is significant, especially in arid and semi-arid regions where they are often more resilient than other livestock (Machado-Ramos et al., 2023). Enhancing reproductive efficiency in goats can lead to more stable production cycles, thereby improving the economic stability of goat farming communities. Managing goat reproduction presents several challenges, primarily due to their seasonal breeding patterns. The reliance on natural breeding seasons can result in periods of low productivity, which is problematic for meeting market demands year-round (Jiang, 2024). Additionally, the genetic diversity and varying reproductive potentials among different goat breeds complicate the optimization of breeding programs (Notter, 2012). Environmental factors such as photoperiod and nutrition play a significant role in reproductive efficiency, necessitating tailored management strategies to address these variables (Souza-Fabjan et al., 2021). Furthermore, traditional hormonal treatments used to control and synchronize breeding cycles have ethical and environmental drawbacks, prompting the need for alternative methods (Abecia et al., 2011; Decourt et al., 2019). This study reviews the use of environmental and social cues, such as photoperiod manipulation and "male effects," to induce and synchronize the estrus cycle of goats, evaluates the potential of integrating circular economy principles, such as using cow feed residues to improve goat reproductive performance, and examines the efficacy of exogenous hormones and alternative biotechnology methods, such as using kispeptin analogs to promote off-season breeding. This study aims to explore and evaluate sustainable and economically feasible breeding techniques to improve the reproductive rate of goats.
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