Global Veterinaria 4 (3): 283-291, 2010 ISSN 1992-6197 © IDOSI Publications, 2010 Corresponding Author: Semakula Jimmy, Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, P.O. Box 164, Mukono, Uganda 283 Smallholder Goat Breeding Systems in Humid, Sub-Humid and Semi Arid Agro-Ecological Zones of Uganda Semakula Jimmy, Mutetikka David, Kugonza R. Donald and Mpairwe Dennis Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, P.O. Box 164, Mukono, Uganda 1 Department of Animal Science, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda 2 Abstract: A study was conducted in three districts (Arua, Soroti and Sembabule) in Uganda to characterise the goat breeding practices in Uganda. A set of detailed structured questionnaires was used to collect information from 160 goat owners in one-visit-interviews. Goats have multi-functional roles, though mainly kept as a regular income source in all the three districts. Goats were mainly acquired by buying while removal was by selling. Mating was generally natural and uncontrolled. In each village, less than 20% kept their own bucks. Breeding does were selected mainly because of performance, birth type and body size while bucks were chosen mainly on the basis of growth rate and body size across all districts. There seems to be a non quantifiable level of inbreeding depicted by the long duration (up to 4.0 years) buck owners take with their breeding bucks, coupled with the poor record keeping. Tolerance to disease was the only adaptive trait merely reported as a little considered trait, as they tended to consider such traits as naturally given to indigenous livestock. Although majority of the goats kept were indigenous, there appears a clear trend from pure indigenous towards cross- breeds. It can be concluded that, although from different ecological zones, goat keepers from Uganda seem to have similar realistic breeding strategies. Key words: Selection Criteria % Goat Acquisition % Disposal % Mating system % Buck % Doe INTRODUCTION crossing the best local goats with exotic breeds [6]. Goats (Capra hircus) are widely spread in the tropics SEA types and efforts for their conservation for h present and are important to the subsistence, economic and social and future use. This concern is inspired by the fact that livelihoods of a large human population in these areas the genotypes of the improved indigenous breeds may be [1-3]. The agricultural potential in the tropics varies and required to upgrade or replace low producing goats in consequently, a wide array of livestock production harsh nomadic environments where exotic goats cannot systems with different production objectives and survive. Another cause for concern is the fact that the priorities, management strategies and practices are directions of future demand cannot be predicted with any found [ 4]. The major ones in Uganda according to certainty. Therefore, improvement programmes are Mbuza [5] are the smallholders, found mainly in necessary to increase and sustain the productivity of medium-to high-potential areas, who practice mixed these goat breeds to meet the demands of the human crop-livestock farming. The pastoral farmers are found population. Most genetic improvement programs tend to mainly in the medium to low-potential areas and rely on focus on single market driven traits such as milk or meat livestock as the main source of livelihood. Despite their production in isolation from environmental constraints importance, few studies have elaborated on sustainable and broader livestock system functions which livestock improvement programmes for the goats in Uganda and the perform in developing countries [7]. In addition, the tropics at large. In a submission to increase livestock development of genetic improvement programmes for productivity and through experience, farmers have come livestock will only be successful when accompanied by a to understand that the best results are obtained by good understanding of the production systems and when This has raised concern over the fate of Mubende and