1. Importance of
Performance Testing
and Record Keeping
Kevin Weaver
Weaver Farms
49th Annual Grey Bruce Farmer’s Week

2. You cannot improve
what you do not measure!!!

3. Introduction
• The goal of every goat producer is to be profitable; therefore, they
need to be managing profitable goats
• We are increasingly interested in quantifying the factors that
contribute to the profitability of our herd
• Profits = Data + Knowledge
• One important element is the relationship between genetics and profit.

4. Questions we all ask
• Which does do I breed?
• Which buck(s) do use?
• How do I avoid inbreeding?
• How do I correct that does’ faults?
• Which kids do I raise?
• Which kids do I breed?
• Which does do I milk?

5. Who is Who, How is Who Doing?

6. Records
• Accurate and detailed records
• What you put in greatly effects
what can come out
• Insight into the performance
over the animals lifetime
• Visual appraisal is not enough
• Assist with selection decisions
• Parents of the Next Generation

7. What to Capture
• Animal ID
• Birth Date
• Birth Weight
• Pedigree
• Gender
• # born
• Birthing difficulties
• Health
• Vaccinations
• Milk Records – M, F & P, SCC
• Classification
• Heat
• Breeding Dates
• Pregnancy Checks

8. No Excuses
• Smart Phones
• Tablets
• Clip boards & Paper
• Various Software Programs
• Dairylive
• bioTrack
• Capture it as it happens

9. Dairylive

10. Herd in Brazil

11. Registration
• Registration is the first
requirement for inclusion in any
genetic evaluation system
• Full Pedigree data
• Known Birthdates
• Herd Genetic Reports
• The Level of purity can vary
• Only animals with a known sire
can be included

12. Milk Recording
• Measures the fundamental
component for recording the
herd’s performance of traits that
directly affect profitability
• Measures:
• Milk
• Fat
• Protein
• Somatic Cell Count

14. Classification
• Evaluation of the physical
structure of the goat
• Improve the functional
conformation of their herds

15. Functionally sound goats are put together for:
• optimal workability
• more resistant to breakdown or
disease
• trouble free and lower
maintenance
• are instilled with a natural ability
to produce higher volumes of milk
over a longer life

16. Score Card
• Mammary System (42%)
• Feet & legs (26%)
• Dairy Strength (22%)
• Rump (10%)

17. Canadian Dairy Goat Improvement
• The Canadian Goat
Improvement Program
• Develops EBVs
• Production and type traits
• Index
• Type, Production, Combined
• Aids producers to evaluate
genetically superior animals

18. Estimated Breeding Values
• Estimation of the genetic value of an animal
• They indicate its value as a parent. Individual animals with the best
EBVs for a given trait have the highest probability of producing
superior progeny for that trait
• EBVs are expressed in the same unit as the trait is measured in (EBVs
for milk production are expressed in kilograms per lactation).
• Example:
• A doe with EBVs
• +50kg milk
• 1kg protein
• 1kg fat

19. Selection Index
• Combine all important traits into one overall value or index
• Production Index
• (PINDX) = 50 % Milk (kg) + 50% Fat (kg)
• Type Index
• (TINDX) = 25% S/R + 15% SL + 12% RU + 12% FU+ 10% DC + 4% TE + 10% BC +
12% FL
• Combined Index
• (CINDX)= 60% PINDX + 40% TINDX

20. BLUP Indexes
100 125 1507550
Breed Improvers
66%
95%
Average = 100
Standard
Deviation = 25
Top5% ~ >140
Top10% ~ >130
Top20% ~ >120
Top30% ~ >110

25. Cost of Records + Evaluation Services
• Per Animal Cost
• Registration = $8
• Milk Recording = $21
• Classification = $13
• Total = $42
• Ongoing yearly cost = $30
150 Does 186 Does Difference
305d Milk 965 kg 780 kg - 185 kg
Total Milk 144750 144750 -
Feed Cost 46500 57660 + $11 160
Evaluation $ 6300
Required to feed 36 more does
$4860 Less to enter Breed Evaluation Services then to
feed
What about cost of labour, equipment?

26. Summary
• Utilizing the information to make sound breeding and management
decisions
• The true gauge of value and benefit from Evaluation Services
• Return on investment by making more well informed and profitable decisions
• Herds with higher levels of genetic merit also have higher profit
margins
• Superior genetics selection is a worthwhile investment that
contributes to herd profitability

27. You cannot improve
what you do not measure!!!