Breeding Program for Meat Goats and Sheep
GENECOC
Embrapa Goats and Sheep
Embrapa Goats and Sheep
GENECOC is the brand that represents a process of innovation and the Breeding Program for Meat Goats and Sheep from the Embrapa Goats and Sheep. The GENECOC actuation process is innovative,
it has a set of unique features: collection, control and management of information through the internet; use of free software; genetic evaluations and estimates of breeding values expressed as
EPD; availability of the EPD's online, in the system itself; use of these genetic values for construction of selection indexes; tools to control inbreeding and mating indication that maximize
genetic gain and control the inbreeding of the flock; forum, integration and training of technicians, students and farmers; bank of consultants and trained professionals; research for
determine suitable objectives and selection criteria; and provide an environment for online management of sheep and goats breeding programs. In this last context, GENECOC process gives
support to other programs, such as Dairy Goats Breeding Program (Capragene®) also from Embrapa Goats and Sheep, Data Recording and Management System (DREMS), coordinated by International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), to support flocks in Africa and Asia, and Meat Goat Genetic Evaluation System (MGGES), coordinated by Tennessee State University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System from Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities, in the USA.
As every breeding program, which consists of a collective action and seeks to meet an animal population, GENECOC supports groups of breeders and / or associations. Thus, to participate in the program it is important that breeders organize themselves into groups so that this process of innovation can be organized and initiated. Thus, it is emphasized that GENECOC only serves groups of breeders organized in a common goal.
The process can be described as follows: 1) Advisory / initial training; 2) tool for online management of the breeding program; 3) Online animal recording; 4) Genetic evaluations;
5) Management and advisory reports; 6) Online availability of EPD's; 7) Definition of objectives and selection criteria; 8) Use of tools for animal ranking, mating selection and control of
inbreeding; 9) Professional training network for support and advice; 10) Marketing and disseminating.
The process makes use of information technology tools, both for program management and for the fulfillment of animal recording, which is made by Flock
Management System (SGR). This consists of a network software through the Internet, written in PHP/HTML/Javascript languages and access to a PostgreSQL database. This system allows breeders access to the data of their flocks on any computer with Internet access, through login and password.
For flocks with EPD estimates, this software has tools for selecting animals for the total genetic merit, with the construction of a genetic index selection, and the selection of
matings that maximize genetic gain of the flock, with control of inbreeding. These tools are its greatest advantages, being innovative, and allowing the breeders perform the selection
of their animals in accordance with the economic indicators of its region. The system also offers other tools such as an estimated average inbreeding of the flock and the
listing of inbred animals.
Since GENECOC serves a group of breeders, individual producers who do not participate in breeding programs but who wish to manage the information and better manage their
flocks can use the SGR as long as they accept the terms of use of the system. It should be noted that these breeders can not claim that they participate in GENECOC.
The use of the SGR does not guarantee participation in the other benefits of the breeding program.
Perform zootechnical management and increase the selection efficiency of your flock.
Maximize the genetic gain of your flock with inbreeding control. Ideal for small herds.
Promotes integration between producers and improves levels of relationship and efficiency in the production chain.
Access, record, and manage your flock information from any computer or device with an Internet connection.
Contribute to the development and management of meat goats and sheep breeding programs.
Encourage, assist and support the producers in the animal recording into their flocks.
Optimize the use of genetic resources available to breeders, while respecting the environmental aspects and requirements of these resources.
Proceed genetic evaluations of rams/bucks, ewes/does and young animals, goats and sheep, purebred and crossbred for productive and reproductive traits.
Provide information of these evaluation in the form of Expected Progeny Differences (EPD).
Provide information for the selection of animals with adequate muscle development, good weight gain, good ability to slaughter and appropriate adult size, reducing maintenance costs, and efficient reproductive capacity, fertility and sexual precocity.
Promote integration between flocks of different regions of the country, popularizing the use of genetic resources and promoting the development of the activity.
Assist in training of human resources with specific skills on the animal breeding and systems of production of meats goats and sheep cutting.
Once the agreement between GENECOC and the participating breeders group has been established, each breeder will receive a login and password to access the Flock Management
System (SGR).
The next step is the registration of all their animals in the system, it is imperative to identify the each animal with a exclusive and unique code.
After an animal receiving a code, which may have letters and numbers, this can never be reused (the system locks the record).
For animals with control of pedigree by Breeders Association, it is advisable to use this code as a record in the system.
Data collection is related to different periods of operation, as the breeding season, birth, weaning, yearling,
finishing, etc.. The breeder has at his disposal, real-time reports that provide information on reports of females not
pregnant, number of services per conception, fertility; prolificacy; estimates of births, calving interval;
age at first lambing/kidding; productivity indexes and productive efficiency of females; weaning rate and kilograms of lambs/kids weaned per the number of females exposed; survival rates for each stage of the operation, ie, production,
growing and finishing; gestation lenght; weights and weight gains.
Each breeders group associated with GENECOC may define its information collection system in the flocks, such as: 1) each breeder is responsible for collecting the data in its property and typing in the SGR;
2) data collection is performed by accredited technicians who visit the properties and send the data to an office controlled by the group (association, for example) and then the data are registered in the SGR
centrally. Anyway, all guidance for this is provided by the program technicians. The details of this are agreed at the time of the conclusion of the contract between GENECOC and the group of breeders.
The information collected allows the implementation of genetic evaluations, which are available through Expected Progeny Differences (EPD) for age at the first lambing/kidding, lambing/kidding interval, gestation lenght, lambing/kidding day (for those who make the breeding season), scrotal circumference,
prolificacy, litter weight at weaning, weights and weight gains for the different ages. Obviously the number of traits to be evaluated depends on the degree and intensity of data collection in the properties.
The EPD's generated by these evaluations are provided in the form of animal directories with the best animals for each breeders group and also available online in the SGR, so the breeder can
use them in the tools available for selection.
In addition to the genetic evaluations, the GENECOC is responsible for storing the data in its own internet server, ensuring
confidentiality on both the data and the information obtained in accordance with the affiliates. Access control is
limited and unique with login and password for each flock.