Characterization of reproductive performance, breeding objective, and trait preference of goat in Korahey Zone, Somali Region, Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to characterize the reproductive performance, breeding practices, and trait preference of goats in Kabri Dehar and Sheygosh districts of the Korahey zone in the Somali region of Ethiopia. A total of 180 households (90 per district, 30 kebele) were identified. Overall age at first kidding was 13.91 ± 0.09 months. The primary importance of goat production in the study area was milk, income source, meat, cultural function, and total savings index values of 0.4, 0.31, 0.20, 0.03, and 0.06, respectively. The preference traits in selected breeding goats in both districts were milk yield, body weight, and twinning ability, and they were ranked with an overall index value of 0.32, 0.26, and 0.18, respectively. It was found that the reproductive performance of goats is generally low due to poor nutrition, disease, and poor management, selection, breeding, and production of goat farmers should be considered when designing a community-based improvement programme for the study area. Therefore, it is recommended that the government focus on community-based improvement programmes for small farmers and feed development projects for pastoralists.