What are the selection criteria for black goat breeding stock?

In rural goat farming, selecting breeding stock is very important, as it directly affects production efficiency. How do farmers select excellent black goats? Simply put, they need to be easy to raise, easy to care for, produce many kids, and be healthy - that is my view. Of course, reproductive capacity is also a very important factor to consider: ewes should come into heat normally, mate normally, give birth to many kids, and be easy to care for. Then there is the issue of body type and constitution. When selecting black goats, you need to consider their body type, as their growth is inseparable from this aspect, and constitution determines how easy they are to raise. Weiyan black goats have the advantages of a tall body type, strong disease resistance, and ease of raising, and are currently being vigorously developed in many farming areas. Farmers introducing black goats can select breeding stock based on appearance. When introducing high-quality black goats, first look at their body condition, with medium condition being suitable - do not buy fat goats. Second, look at the body outline, preferring goats with distinct angular features, good limbs and hooves, and a wide, flat hindquarters. Then check the ewe's udder, which should extend forward and spread backward in a basin shape, with teats evenly distributed and of uniform length.

Regarding the feeding requirements for black goats, forage and feed should be abundant. Due to their own limited conditions, small and medium-sized black goat farms have relatively limited variety, especially in winter and spring, when there is a severe shortage of quality dry green hay and green succulent feed. The feed given is mainly corn stalks or even wheat straw and a small amount of concentrate. Winter and spring are precisely the mating period for black goats, requiring high-quality, nutrient-rich, balanced feed. Therefore, attention must be paid to feed diversity, and emphasis should be placed on the storage and supply of green hay and green succulent feed. Farms with the conditions can make some silaged corn stalks, plant some carrots and alfalfa, purchase distillers' grains from distilleries, or regularly feed black goats feed such as tofu residue, while adjusting the nutrient content in the concentrate to meet the production needs of black goats.

Feed for stable production of black goats is very important. Stable production of black goats has an important relationship with feeding. Feed formulation should be diversified with multiple combinations. Pen-raised black goats should be fed three meals a day, with concentrate mainly consisting of cornmeal, soybean cake, cottonseed cake, and wheat bran, with sufficient drinking water. At the same time, black goat farming must ensure sufficient green feed. In winter and spring, when green feed is scarce, green grass and crop stalks can be chopped and made into silage, with an appropriate amount of carrots mixed in, so that black goats have a constant supply of green feed throughout the year.

Raising black goats requires attention to hygiene. Many farmers believe that because black goats have strong disease resistance, hygiene does not matter, and they do not pay attention to environmental disinfection or feed and drinking water hygiene during farming, which often leads to black goats contracting diseases and dying. Therefore, farmers must disinfect the goat shed and surrounding environment once a week with quicklime, Lysol, etc. in winter and spring, and twice a week in summer and autumn, and ensure feed and drinking water hygiene, not feeding moldy feed. (Contributed by Rural Notes)