Aug 2026· Veterinary Sciences· Vol 13, pp. 799· 0 citations· 106 references
Medicine
TL;DR
This review brings together findings from many studies to identify which genes most reliably influence how much milk a goat produces and how they act inside the udder and allows breeders to select superior animals earlier and more accurately.
Abstract
Simple Summary Goats are a mainstay of milk production in dry and difficult regions, supporting the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers and supplying milk that is nutritious, easy to digest, and less likely to trigger allergies than cow milk. Yet breeding goats for higher and better-quality milk has progressed more slowly than in dairy cattle. Modern DNA-based tools can accelerate this progress by pinpointing the genes that shape how much milk a goat produces and how rich it is in fat and protein. This review brings together findings from many studies to identify which genes most reliably influence these traits and how they act inside the udder. Such knowledge allows breeders to select superior animals earlier and more accurately. Realizing these benefits will require larger, carefully recorded goat populations and the combining of different biological datasets, ultimately helping farmers raise more productive herds and improving the supply of high-quality goat milk.
Simple Summary Dairy farming faces growing challenges as farmers must produce more milk while reducing disease, lowering the use of antibiotics, and limiting environmental impacts. This review examines current and emerging ways to improve the natural communities of helpful microorganisms that live inside dairy cows to support better health and productivity. It compares different approaches, including beneficial feed supplements, the transfer of healthy gut microorganisms, advanced gene-based methods, and data-guided farm management, to assess how close they are to routine use on farms. The evidence shows that beneficial feed supplements are already improving milk production, supporting animal health, reducing disease, and lowering the need for antibiotics. Other promising methods have shown encouraging results but still require further research before they can be safely applied on a large scale. Overall, the review concludes that future progress will depend on choosing the most suitable approach for each individual animal rather than using the same solution for every herd. These advances could help create healthier dairy cows, more sustainable farming systems, safer food production, and a cleaner environment.
M. Ashfaq, M. Tharwat, Sohail Ahmed et al.· Veterinary Sciences· 0 citations
The Kilis goat is one of the most important indigenous dairy goat breeds in Türkiye and plays a significant role in milk production systems of the southeastern region. Despite its economic importance, information regarding genetic parameters for milk production traits remains limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to estimate variance components and genetic parameters for lactation milk yield in Kilis goats using a repeatability animal model. A total of 3,655 lactation milk yield records collected from 1,698 does and a pedigree comprising 1,815 animals were analyzed using the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method implemented in WOMBAT software. Herd-year subclasses were included as fixed effects, while additive genetic and permanent environmental effects were fitted as random effects. The mean lactation milk yield was 402.23±84.02 kg. The estimated additive genetic, permanent environmental, residual, and phenotypic variances were 733.09±250.29, 0.01±264.20, 6298.76±187.39, and 7031.86±167.08 kg², respectively. Heritability for lactation milk yield was estimated as 0.10±0.03, indicating that additive genetic effects accounted for approximately 10.4% of the total phenotypic variation. The permanent environmental ratio was estimated to be negligible (0.00±0.00), resulting in a repeatability estimate equal to the heritability estimate (r=0.10). The results revealed that environmental and management factors constituted the major sources of variation in lactation milk yield, while a measurable but relatively low additive genetic component was present. These findings suggest that genetic improvement of milk yield in Kilis goats is possible through selection, although substantial gains will also require improvements in management practices and recording systems. The study provides baseline genetic parameters that may support the development of sustainable dairy-oriented breeding programs for the Kilis goat breed.
Y. Arzık, Sabri Gül, S. Behrem et al.· Black sea journal of agricul...· 0 citations
Simple Summary Improving milk yields and milk composition is a central objective of dairy goat breeding. This study compared conventional genomic prediction models, Bayesian regression models, and machine learning algorithms for three economically important traits in dairy goats: milk yield, milk fat percentage, and milk protein percentage. The results showed that the prediction accuracy depended jointly on the trait, genotyping strategy, statistical model, and type of biological prior information. Bayesian and gradient boosting methods were particularly useful for milk composition traits, whereas chip-based genotyping remained cost-effective for milk yield. These findings provide a practical framework for integrating machine learning, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing, SNP chip data, GWAS signals, and selection signature information into genomic selection programs for dairy goats.
The present study aimed to compare the nutritive quality of milk from Holstein Friesian (HF) crossbred, Jersey crossbred, and Tharparkar cattle. Milk quality and production are complex traits governed by the interaction of genetic potential, nutritional management, environmental conditions, and husbandry practices. The study was conducted over 45 days at the South Farm of Vanavarayar Institute of Agriculture (VIA) in the Pollachi region. Milk samples were analysed for fat percentage and solids-not-fat (SNF). The results showed that SNF content did not differ significantly among the three breeds. Jersey crossbred cattle recorded the highest average SNF (7.71%), followed by Tharparkar (7.62%) and HF crossbred cattle (7.51%); however, these differences were statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). In contrast, milk fat percentage varied significantly among breeds. Tharparkar cattle produced milk with the highest fat content, Jersey crossbred cattle had intermediate fat content, and HF crossbred cattle had the lowest fat content in this region. Tukey's post hoc analysis confirmed that all pairwise comparisons were statistically significant, indicating that breed has a strong influence on milk fat percentage. The superior fat content observed in the indigenous Tharparkar breed highlights its genetic potential for producing milk with enhanced compositional quality, whereas the comparatively lower fat percentage in HF crossbreds reflects the breed's selection for higher milk volume rather than milk solids.
M. Abishek, U. Aparna, K. Divya et al.· Archives of Current Research...· 0 citations
Simple Summary Moringa oleifera is a very fast growing tree with leaves rich in beneficial natural compounds. A simple extract from these leaves when added to the feed of cattle, goats and sheep provides several benefits. The animals gain weight and utilize feed better, and the dairy cows yield higher milk production with higher fat and protein levels, and fewer incidences of udder infection. Importantly, this natural supplement enhances the immune system of the animals so that they can remain healthier and with fewer medical treatments. The nutrient extract in the animals’ specially designed stomach (rumen) helps to restore a healthy balance of “good” microbes which ensure the breakdown of plant fiber, giving improved digestion and maintaining a balanced rumen environment. Concurrently, it lowers the amount of microbes producing methane—a powerful greenhouse gas that is linked to climate change. Overall, Moringa leaf extract is a promising and sustainable natural solution for modern agriculture, offering a potential approach for improving the growth, quality of milk, health of animals, and reducing harmful emissions from livestock.
M. Abdulrahman, Nasir A. Ibrahim, Mohamed Osman Abdalrahem Essa et al.· Veterinary Sciences· 0 citations
This study evaluated the relative importance of farm- and cow-related factors affecting milk coagulation properties in commercial and native cattle breeds exposed to different housing and management systems. The study included 86 Estonian Red (ER) and 132 Estonian Native (EN) cows from 12 single-breed and 3 dual-breed dairy farms; farm characteristics and management practices were assessed through on-site visits and manager interviews. Individual milk samples were collected every second month during the morning test-day milking from November 2020 to January 2022 and analysed for composition, coagulation properties, casein micelle size distribution, fat globule size distribution and κ-CN genetic variants. The results showed no significant differences in milk coagulation properties between the two breeds. Among cow-related factors, curd firmness in both breeds was most strongly associated with milk protein content (ER: r = 0.23; EN: r = 0.19), casein content (ER: r = 0.30; EN: r = 0.27) and the casein-to-protein ratio (ER: r = 0.17; EN: r = 0.28). The κ-casein genotype affected both the rennet coagulation time and curd firmness in both breeds. The genetic effect of the sire was greater in the ER breed. Separate breed-specific models showed that the proportion of variance in milk coagulation traits explained by farm effects was approximately three to four times higher in EN cows compared to ER cows. These findings suggest that strategies for improving milk coagulation should be tailored to the production context.
M. Henno, A. Sats, T. Kaart et al.· Journal of Dairy Research· 0 citations
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