Impacts of the Herd Management Mode Upon the Indigenous Goat Potentialities in Oases and Rangelands of Southern Tunisia

To assess the flocks’ annual productive rates and individual performances both in a pastoral system and in oases under intensified conditions data obtained from a recording program in 10 local goat herds during 16 years was used. On rangelands, the local goat herds registered about 86% and 120%, respectively, as fertility and prolificacy rates with 0.66 kg.day⁻¹ average daily milk yield. Same values under oasian system were 93%, 153% and 0.78 kg. Nevertheless, the intensified conditions affect negatively the indigenous kid survival and the kids’ mortality rate reached 11% under oasian husbandry conditions as against 1% under rangeland. It is concluded that the local goat's genetic evolution promoted reproductive and growth performances as biological priorities to guaranty its continuity under harsh conditions. Whereas, dairy performances needing high nutritive requirements were adversely affected by the natural selective process.