290
Alpines breeds were also tested at the center. Despite the introduction of superior
dairy breeds, the situation on the ground was not satisfactory, with milk productivity
declining. Efforts to exploit and sustain imported genetics and ideal management
were not considered at inception (Kifaro et al. 2007). A nucleus dairy goat flock for
pure NL animals was established at Mulbadaw, Manyara, Tanzania, to respond to
this need and assist dairy goat breeding in both Tanzania and Malawi. However, the
management of animals at nucleus center has been reported to be poor and not fully
useful (Internal Reports of the Project for Up-scaling of pro-poor innovative dairy
goat technologies for improved livelihood security and human capacity in selected
highland areas, abb. Innovative Dairy Goats Project under the Programme for
Enhanced Pro-poor Innovations in Agricultural value chain, EPINAV, Unpublished;
Lungu 2012). Strategies to facilitate the introduction and sustenance of dairy goats
are required to assist farmers to exploit the maximum potential of dairy goats. It is
for this reason that this paper was written. First, we discuss the breeding practices
for dairy goats in both countries, and thereafter, we show the options suitable for
designing the sustainable breeding programs for dairy goats. Finally, a conclusion
is drawn based on the current practices and trend and the expected need for sustainable dairy goat breeding.
2 The Review Methods and Data Searching
For about 8 years, the Innovative Dairy Goat Project operated in six villages of
Mgeta Division, Mvomero District, Morogoro region in Tanzania to assist farmers
with support services of keeping records and improving breeding of NL goats
financed by NORAD. In Malawi, a UDLP project established a nucleus dairy goat
breeding center at BCA and supplied mainly Saanen bucks to villages in Mkwinda
and Mitundu Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) in Lilongwe. Previously, NORAD
was also involved in a project to introduce dairy goats in Malawi. Furthermore,
another NORAD project, namely, NUFU, integrated dairy goats into human health
interventions in some communities of Lungwena EPA, Southern part of Lake
Malawi district. One of the major objectives of these projects was to ensure sustainable supply of dairy goats for the current and prospective farmers. This paper is
based on interdisciplinary dairy goats’ research and observations from these projects. Literature search regarding dairy goat breeding in both countries was done to
supplement data from the projects. Evaluation and use of literature for dairy goat
breeding followed the systematic search of literature (SSL) and the scientific steps
highlighted in it as suggested by O’Connor et al. (2014) and used by various previous authors including Msalya (2017). The keywords involved for searching literature in relation to the subject were dairy goats breeding and dairy goats in Tanzania
and Malawi, respectively. At least five search engines were used including Google,
PubMed, Web of Science/Web of Knowledge, CAB Direct, and African Journal
Online (AJOL). We only picked papers from reliable sources and with complete
references. From these our review results are summarized.
G. Msalya et al.
Alpines breeds were also tested at the center. Despite the introduction of superior
dairy breeds, the situation on the ground was not satisfactory, with milk productivity
declining. Efforts to exploit and sustain imported genetics and ideal management
were not considered at inception (Kifaro et al. 2007). A nucleus dairy goat flock for
pure NL animals was established at Mulbadaw, Manyara, Tanzania, to respond to
this need and assist dairy goat breeding in both Tanzania and Malawi. However, the
management of animals at nucleus center has been reported to be poor and not fully
useful (Internal Reports of the Project for Up-scaling of pro-poor innovative dairy
goat technologies for improved livelihood security and human capacity in selected
highland areas, abb. Innovative Dairy Goats Project under the Programme for
Enhanced Pro-poor Innovations in Agricultural value chain, EPINAV, Unpublished;
Lungu 2012). Strategies to facilitate the introduction and sustenance of dairy goats
are required to assist farmers to exploit the maximum potential of dairy goats. It is
for this reason that this paper was written. First, we discuss the breeding practices
for dairy goats in both countries, and thereafter, we show the options suitable for
designing the sustainable breeding programs for dairy goats. Finally, a conclusion
is drawn based on the current practices and trend and the expected need for sustainable dairy goat breeding.
2 The Review Methods and Data Searching
For about 8 years, the Innovative Dairy Goat Project operated in six villages of
Mgeta Division, Mvomero District, Morogoro region in Tanzania to assist farmers
with support services of keeping records and improving breeding of NL goats
financed by NORAD. In Malawi, a UDLP project established a nucleus dairy goat
breeding center at BCA and supplied mainly Saanen bucks to villages in Mkwinda
and Mitundu Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) in Lilongwe. Previously, NORAD
was also involved in a project to introduce dairy goats in Malawi. Furthermore,
another NORAD project, namely, NUFU, integrated dairy goats into human health
interventions in some communities of Lungwena EPA, Southern part of Lake
Malawi district. One of the major objectives of these projects was to ensure sustainable supply of dairy goats for the current and prospective farmers. This paper is
based on interdisciplinary dairy goats’ research and observations from these projects. Literature search regarding dairy goat breeding in both countries was done to
supplement data from the projects. Evaluation and use of literature for dairy goat
breeding followed the systematic search of literature (SSL) and the scientific steps
highlighted in it as suggested by O’Connor et al. (2014) and used by various previous authors including Msalya (2017). The keywords involved for searching literature in relation to the subject were dairy goats breeding and dairy goats in Tanzania
and Malawi, respectively. At least five search engines were used including Google,
PubMed, Web of Science/Web of Knowledge, CAB Direct, and African Journal
Online (AJOL). We only picked papers from reliable sources and with complete
references. From these our review results are summarized.
G. Msalya et al.