National Goat Day celebration in Iran, January 27, 2016

Distinguished scientists, researchers, goat breeders and experts worldwide,
 
We respectfully request your support for our upcoming meeting of major goat breeders, enthusiasts, and goat experts of the Animal Science Research Institute of Iran (www.asri.ir) as host of the this event, National Animal Breeding and animal products promotion Center (www.abc.org.ir) and National Organization for Nomads Affairs (www.ashayer.ir) on January 27, 2016.
 
The goal is to propose a World Goat Day, with the help of the International Goat Association, so your kind support will be highly appreciated. Policy papers, benchmarking analysis by scientists and senior experts, and interesting debate topics by nomadic and rural goat keepers will be presented. International scientists and breeders are welcome.

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Credible national and international references indicated that the “goat” was first domesticated in Iran. According to the most recent reports in 1392 AH, there are over 20 million heads of goats in Iran. If the value for each head of goat is estimated to be around 4 million Iranian Rials, it would be calculated that more than 80 Trillion Iranian Rials has been invested in this section. This is a considerable investment in comparison to other sections of animal husbandry.
 
Goat breeding plays an important role and has a significant place in national development of the country, some of which is:

1. Production of animal protein (milk and meat) and animal fiber production (fluff and hair) used in textile industry.
2. Skin production used in leather industry.
3. Creation of sustainable employment, to secure adequate income for self-sufficient families and preventing mass migration of rural population to urban areas.

 
Significant goat breeds in Iran:

1. “Tali” Islander goat: Its’ main production is milk and meat and its’ skin color varies from bright brown to dark brown with a brown line along its’ back.
2. “Kerman and Hormozgan” goat: These include “Raeni goat” which are white or Saay color (varies from bright to dark brown, red, yellow, grey or mixed), “Afshari goat” and “Sorkh Jebal goats”. The main production of this breed is firstly fluff and secondly meat.
3. “Adani goat”: Its’ main production is milk and it is usually seen as ecru and hardly seen as fawn, white, black, hooded black and white or hooded brown and white.
4. “Baloochi goat”: Its’ production include fluff and milk and its’ color varies from black to brown and hooded.
5. “Marghaz goat”: With the tendency of mohair production and has colors of white, brown, black, fawn, yellow, red and grey and is grown in some limited areas of the west sides of the country. Due to the decrease in population in the past years, they are put in the extinction category with high risk.
6. “Mamasani goat”: It is raised for production of fluff and milk and its’ skin color is usually black and also white and grey.
7. “Najdi goat”: Their main production is milk and its’ skin color is ecru, bright brown and it is hardly seen as white with a dark line along its’ back and it is in serious danger of extinction.
8. “Nadooshan goat (Yazdi)”: It is mainly bred for fluff and milk production, its’ skin color is generally fawn red with white spot around it's’ head, hands, feet and ears.
9. “Birjandi goat”: Grown in south Khorasan for fluff.
10. “Abade goat”: Kept in Abade area located in Fars province.
11. “Black local goat”: Their main color is black. The typical example is “Lori” goat in Lorestan province. They are spread across Zagros Mountains, Lorestan, Ilam and north of Khuzestan. They are also spread across the mountains of Hormozgan and Booshehr.

 
However, because of the associated social and economic foundations, and also the lack of any coherent organization or regulatory association, herders and farmers who are the beneficiaries of this guild, have not been able to benefit from the governmental facilities, inputs, and sanitation services, in comparison to other subdivisions of animal husbandry. Additionally, due to development of urban areas over the rural regions and destruction of tribal pathways, successive droughts and degradation of natural range lands, the situation is becoming more and more challenging for the rural people every day, and most of their youth are losing interest to follow their ancestors.
 
Our sincere thanks goes to Executive Committee members and financial supporters too. And of course, a special thank you to Mr. Nima Sayah, who helped me with this translation.
 
To register online or download a registration form please click here.
 
We hope you will be able to join us. For more information, please contact me directly:
farmir2001@gmail.com
+989125620089
 
Yours sincerely,
Farhad Mirzaei, Ph.D.
IGA Country Representative to Iran, Senior Researcher & Expert on Animal Production Management, Animal Science Research Institute of Iran. Karaj, 31585, Iran