An Important Genotype for Sustainable Extensive Goat Production Systems of Turkey: The Gökçeada Goat

In this study, it was aimed to report some traits of Gökçeada goats, which raised under the naturalconditions of Gökçeada, with respect to their protection within the scope of genetic resources. In thisrespect the information obtained from the goats supplied from the Island and reared in a semiintensive system at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University and also the information obtained from theliterature were collected and the biological and zootechnical identifications of the Gökçeada goatwere performed. Gökçeada goats, which are predominantly black, have yellow or red blazes on bothsides of their heads including their eyes. It was seen that Gökçeada goats had similar bodymeasurements and lower live weights as compared to those of the same species on the mainland. Thebirth weight and the mature live weight of Gökçeada goats were found as 2.55 kg and 38 kg,respectively, whereas their mean kid yield per goat at birth was determined as 1.6 to 1.8 kids.Individuals with a milk yield of 591 kg were striking in the Gökçeada genotype, in which the meanlactation length and the mean lactation milk yield were determined as 251 to 259 days and 227 to 245kg, respectively. Its milk fat (4.92-5.75%) and milk protein (3.29%) resembled those of our othernative breeds. It is necessary to reveal, with more elaborate studies, the potential for Gökçeada goatcheese that is greatly demanded on the Island. It was determined that the Gökçeada kids, which wereconsidered as dairy kids, had some small but nonfat carcass and that their meat was soft and of a lightcolor and had a slight smell. One should be careful about the adaptation of the Gökçeada genotype,which successfully maintains itself under the island conditions and which is the source of income forproducers, to intensive and extensive goat production systems.