Goat rearing in Guadeloupe (French West Indies)

Abstract

Traditional goat breeding system (small units, tethered animal...) is predominant in Guadeloupe. However some modern and commercial structures appeared a few years ago (intensive modes of production, organized market...). Lack of valuable and measured information on the characteristics of the caprine breeding system and their way of evolution has originated an enquiry on 120 goat raising farms. Collected data were studied according to the classical methodology using data processing and multidimensional analysis of the variables. The different components of the local farming activities are described and typology is set up. Goat breeding shows some original features : this production is often associated with cattle breeding which allows farmers according to different feeding systems (grazing on pasture or tethered animals) to make use of a large variety of resources (savannahs, meadows and shrubs) to which extra feed or fodder mowed (at random) can be added. As it would appear this production is a way of « intensifying », increasing the socio-economic returns of the farm. The principal interest of these data and this methodology are to give tools to searchers and extension officers in order to know the socio-economic and technical factors bearing on goat production and to suggest different methods of intervention in the different systems (different ways of development).