Goat management and systems of production: Global framework and study cases in the Caribbean

Animal output is a complex set of activities dependent upon interrelated abiotic, biotic and socio-economic factors. Increasing reproductive performances, reducing mortality rate, accelerating growth rate and improving carcass merit or milk quality are multiple and interdependent objectives. A multidisciplinary approach is necessary to characterise animals and systems for the different interrelated production traits. Setting priorities and implementing research within development projects are better accomplished through the farming system concept and holistic approach of interrelated factors of variation. This paper outlines the interest of the farming system approach and a general framework of the variable factors in goat performances. From these, guidelines are proposed for piloting the whole system through reproductive management, matching the system to available feed resources, implementing an integrated health control protocol, and adapting the breeding improvement approach to the local sector’s characteristics. The second part of this paper presents case studies gathered from different experiences in countries of the Caribbean basin (sensus largo). These deal with climatic effects, the use of a male-effect, the use of forage trees and shrubs and integrated health control. The focus lies on both meat and goat milk production in the Caribbean basin.