Introducing a superior breed of goats and enhancing sustainable farming
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – March. 27, 2018 – A collaboration between Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) and the St. Kitts & Nevis Ministry of Agriculture aims to improve goat farming and food production on the island. Through the crossbreeding of local doe breeds with Boer goats brought to the island from Florida, the project will help enhance the quality of livestock in the Federation within the next five to ten years.
The project is a collaborative effort led by the RUSVM Small Ruminant Student Club and student Kimberlee Ward with supervision from Dr. Aspinas Chapwanya, RUSVM assistant professor of Theriogenology and Dr. Tracey Challenger-Walters, Chief Veterinary Officer of St. Kitts & Nevis. Additionally, the project involves a variety of stakeholders, such as island livestock farmers and Teresa Prescott, a breeder from Kissimmee River Boer Goats in Florida. RUSVM students will be extensively involved on every aspect of this project, from disease surveillance to post crossbreeding monitoring and tracking of the bucks and offspring.
To address the limited genetic diversity of goats on the island – in part due to inbreeding – the introduction three different genetic lines of Boer goats from Florida will allow for more flexibility with breeding schedules and much needed crossbreeding to produce offspring with better growth rates and stronger resistance to local diseases, which should result in higher quality food production.
“We are truly excited to partner with the government of St. Kitts & Nevis and other stakeholders to help improve the goat meat production on the island,” said Dr. Sean Callanan, dean at RUSVM. “Projects like these give our students valuable hands-on experience and an opportunity to apply the knowledge from classrooms directly on real-life settings.”
“The objective of the Ministry of Agriculture is to increase meat production from the low weight generally experienced by the local breeds to goats weighing over 30 kg,” said Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Ministry of Agriculture, Human Settlement, Cooperatives and Environment. “The aim is to have farmers earning more income to improve their livelihoods, increase food security and have a consistent supply to satisfy market demand.”
“It is a common practice for farmers to crossbreed their local goats with exotic breeds such as the South African Boer goat to improve production,” said breeder Teresa Prescott. “The South African Boer goat is universally recognized as the ‘meat goat’ of the world due to rapid weight gain from birth, ease of handling, high survivability, sustainability, hardiness and the ability to adapt to various environments ranging from very cold, high altitude climates to very hot, dry and humid climates at sea level.”
“We are particularly thankful to Kissimmee River Boer Goats for being part of the project and making sure that these goats are healthy and free from disease before they land on the island for cross-breeding,” said Dr. Chapwanya.
About Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine
Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) is a member of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. The organization's purpose is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Founded in 1982, RUSVM is committed to preparing students to become members and leaders of the worldwide public and professional healthcare team and to advance human, animal and ecosystem health (One Health Initiative) through research and knowledge exchange. RUSVM has focused research programs with an emphasis on emerging infectious and zoonotic diseases, conservation medicine and ecosystem health. RUSVM offers postgraduate Masters’, Ph.D. and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs accredited by the St. Christopher & Nevis Accreditation Board. The DVM program holds accredited status from the American Veterinary Medical Association (www.avma.org). The Ross Veterinary Clinic is accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association (www.aahanet.org). For more information about RUSVM, visit http://veterinary.rossu.edu/
About Adtalem Global Education
The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider, and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil, American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Carrington College, Chamberlain University, DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, visit adtalem.com.
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