Comparing Savanna with Kiko and Spanish Service Sires for Meat Goat Kid and Doe Performance in a Humid Subtropical Production System

Abstract Savanna meat goats were introduced to the United States from South Africa in the mid-1990s. To date, the breed has not been evaluated for relative performance attributes in the U.S. or elsewhere on a considerable scale. In this study, Savanna sires were evaluated for kid preweaning traits and doe herd reproductive traits over six years in two separate but concurrent trials. In one trial, Kiko base does were bred to Savanna (n = 17) and Kiko (n = 13) sires, with 547 doe exposures producing 628 kids. In another trial, Spanish base does were bred to Savanna (n = 17) and Spanish (n = 13) sires, with 442 doe exposures producing 457 kids. Savanna sires produced heavier (P < 0.01) kids at birth than Kiko and Spanish sires. Savanna-sired kids did not differ significantly from Kiko- or Spanish-sired kids for mean weaning weight or preweaning kid survival rate. Service sire breed did not affect doe kidding rate or litter size at parturition in either trial. Savanna service sires produced heavier mean litter weight at birth (P < 0.01) compared to Kiko and Spanish sires. Service sire breed did not affect litter weight at weaning in either trial. Litter size at weaning per doe exposed was smaller (P = 0.05) for Savanna service sires compared to Spanish service sires. In summary, crossbreeding with Savanna sires increased kid and litter weights at birth, but did not modify kid or litter weights at weaning compared to straightbreeding with Kiko or Spanish sires. Sire breed did not affect doe kidding rate or preweaning kid survival rate.