Eco-Intensified Breeding Strategies for Improving Climate Resilience in Goats

Goats are projected as an ideal climate adapted animal because of the various advantages associated with this species such as higher thermo-tolerance, drought tolerance, ability to survive on limited pastures, and high disease resistance. With the projected climate associated adversities such as high temperature, shrinking grazing lands, less feed, fodder and water resources, and emerging new diseases, goat farming seems to be the more profitable enterprise. With its exceptional adaptability to the adversities of climate change, goat farming seems to be the better option available for poor and marginal farmers across the globe to ensure their livelihood and food security. The main challenges associated with goat production are the improvement of the productive potential of the indigenous breeds and the conservation of indigenous germplasm. The phenotypic traits coat color, respiration rate, rectal temperature, skin temperature, thyroid hormones, and other genotypic markers such as heat shock proteins and thyroid hormone receptors are considered reliable markers of metabolic adaptation of goat during heat. Study involving genome-wide selection signatures and genomic inbreeding has identified MTOR, MAPK3, SLC27, NR2F6, and DRD2 genes for thermal adaptation in goat. Further research efforts can help in identifying agro-ecological zone-specific goat breeds to be disseminated to the local farmers for obtaining optimum economic return. In addition, refinements in existing breeding programs to develop eco-intensified breeding strategies by incorporating traits governing production, adaptation, and low methane emission could revolutionize goat sector reducing the impact on the ecosystem.