Since 1929, the Antoniades family farm in Pissouri, Cyprus has maintained an international reputation for successful selective breeding of the Cyprus (Damascus) Shami goat. Over the past 70 years this program has been developed as a semi-intensive production system with an emphasis on strengthening the genetic line that favours production and adaptability. Genetic strength has been achieved by ensuring a large pool of animals to support frequent replacement of breeding stock. We have already established solid export markets all over the Middle East, Gulf States and North Africa and are developing export and partnership breeding opportunities with several new partners elsewhere.
The Cyprus (Damascus) Shami goat is a highly adaptive and prolific animal that is recognised as the ultimate goat in either dual or single purpose production systems. Our herd produced an average litter size of 2.5 kids per pregnancy in the 2003 breeding season with kids averaging birth weights of 4.5kg. Our newborn kids feed from their mothers for the first feed to ensure that they receive adequate colostrum. They are then separated from their mothers and feed from artificial kid feeders supplemented with hard feed until 49 days.
By 4 months of age, Does achieve an average weight of 30-32kg and Bucks an average of 35kg. Adult Does achieve average weights between 60-90kg and Bucks 90-130kg. At 4 months animals selected into our production system are separated from the remaining herd and enter an intensive immunisation and veterinary surveillance program focussed on enhancing reproduction.
Our Does are presented to the Bucks at the first oestrus (between 220 – 270 days) and continue breeding for an average of 6 years after which they are sold on to other local farms or used for their meat yield. Does that are used for meat production can achieve 3 gestations in 24 months while those in our milk production system are presented to the Buck at 215 days post partum. We aim to milk for 305 days unless they are pregnant when we remove them from the milk production system at 3 months before their expected delivery date.
Our Bucks begin mating from 9 months and remain in the production system for a maximum of 2 years and we minimise consanguinity by separating them from females until decision to breed when we only permit crosses beyond third degree relatives.
Milk production reaches a maximum at 3 days post-partum and averages 4-5kg a day with many goats achieving more. Our selection criteria for genetic improvement include:
1000kg in a single lactation
lactation 305 days
2-3 kids per pregnancy
Animals may be sold from our farms locally at any age. However, our experience has shown us that Does selected for export are best withheld from our production system since we have found that achieving first pregnancy in their destination country maximises their production.
The Cyprus (Damascus) Shami goat is an excellent, highly adaptive and hardy goat. Experience locally and in our export countries confirms that it can be used in pure bred or cross-bred milk or meat production systems, surpassing the production figures of equivalent animals in intensive, semi-intensive or extensive systems.
We already have experience exporting Cyprus Shami over the last 20 years in more than 15 Middle East and Gulf States. Everywhere that we send the Cyprus Shami, it reproduces these amazing production figures. Detailed studies in Libya demonstrate that these figures are maintained in pure bred or cross-mated F1 generations with equivalent breeds in destination countries as well as local animals.
We recommend the Cyprus Shami for private breeders who wish to raise a pure herd as well as for rural agricultural development programs internationally. The Cyprus Shami is the ideal goat to support genetic research programs that aim to establish robust income generation projects at the same time as improving the productivity in local genetic lines through cross-breeding.
We want to welcome you to the family of successful Cyprus (Damascus) Shami goat breeders internationally and support your production system in any way that we can.
Please contact us at your convenience for further detailed information.
OUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR MALAYSIA INDONESIA THAILAND AND SINGAPORE
ASREDA CORPORATION SDN BHD- email
asreda.csb@gmail.com /HP +60192281771-Shariff
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Asreda Corporation Sdn. Bhd
