Evaluation of the Community-based Animal Genetic Improvement Studies: Kilis Goat

This study examines the economic and technical impacts of the genetic improvement studies on Kilis Goat, commenced in Kilis, Türkiye in 2009 within the context of Community-based Animal Genetic Improvement National Scheme. This study also aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Kilis goat farming, and to establish a baseline for future assessments in this breed. The National scheme was first launched in 2006 and has since been extended in five-year intervals. Because genetic improvement studies commenced in 2009 in Kilis Goat, this study focuses only the first six years and considers the firstly included Kilis goat breeders into the scheme, excluding the later inclusions. The complete counts of the scheme-participating farmers (PFs) and randomly selected non-scheme-participating farmers (non-PFs) were the sources of the study data. Kilis goat breeders were interviewed face-to-face during 17 - 22 January 2015, resulting in 59 completed questionnaires (43 participants and 16 non-participant farmers). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, chi-square tests and Mann Whitney U tests were used for two group comparisons as one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test and Krusskal Wallis tests were used for multiple group comparisons in data analysis. The results showed that PFs performed better but this was not enough to produce a significant difference in gross profit per female. The study concluded that own feed production, effective control of goat diseases and parasites and improvement of housing conditions are crucial for successful genetic improvement and overall goat production.