CHARACTERIZATION OF A GOAT POPULATION FROM TRANSYLVANIAN AREA, VIEW BY MAIN TRAITS OF BODY CONFORMATION

Abstract

For Romanian farmers goats breeding can represent a chance in challenge with European Union farmers. This chance exists because goat milk is not subject to quota and in Romania there are l arge regions that are adequate to this activity. The importance of goats breeding and exploitation i n world and in our country is justifying by quality of exception of goat milk, which is recommended peculiarly for children, old aged and ill persons aliment ation. The other important product obtained from goats, the me at, is appreciated for his dietetic qualities. Body conformation presents practical importance, be cause it expresses the productive potential of goat s. Goat barrel must be long with withers height betwee n 60 - 80 cm and superior line of back lightly incr easing from withers to croup. In view to obtaining a better goat milk and meat pr oduction it could action through directional select ion, setting up of lines and crossbred with superior pro ductive potential. In conditions where caw milk production is conditio ned by more and more factors imposed by European Union, goat breeding could be a viable alternative in that it means to assure an important part of mil k and dairy products for population. Biologic material taken in study is characterized b y mean values, for the main conformation traits, wh ich are framed in a large measure between values limits presented in specialty literature: body weight 48 - 50 kg; withers height 59 - 62 cm; croup height 62 - 63 cm; body (barrel) length 68 - 72 cm; thorax (chest) pe rimeter 86 - 94 cm; thorax depth 31 - 32 cm; croup width 16 - 17 cm; chest width 19 - 20 cm; shinbone perimeter 9 - 10 cm. At the age of four, five months, Carpathian x Saane n crossbreds are realizing for most of conformation traits above 75 % from adult development of Carpathian breed.