In the heart of rural communities where goats are a lifeline, a silent crisis is unfolding. Pre-weaning kid mortality is stifling herd growth and threatening food security, and a new study published in *Frontiers in Animal Science* is shedding light on the complex web of factors behind this persistent problem. Led by Moeketsi Segakoeng from the Department of Animal Sciences at Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, South Africa, the research offers a comprehensive look at the genetic, biological, environmental, and socioeconomic determinants that contribute to these losses.
Goats are a vital resource for millions of small-scale farmers, providing meat, milk, and income. Yet, pre-weaning mortality rates remain alarmingly high, particularly in communal production systems where resources are scarce. “The herd growth remains slow, resulting in low population numbers in local goat populations,” Segakoeng explains. This stagnation isn’t just a biological issue—it’s an economic one, with far-reaching implications for rural livelihoods and food security.
The study highlights the multifactorial nature of pre-weaning mortality, moving beyond the surface-level symptoms to explore the deeper interactions at play. Genetic factors such as breed, birth weight, litter size, and milk yield of the doe are critical, but so too are environmental and management practices. Traditional breeding systems, often unstructured and lacking performance data, contribute to the problem. “Current literature discusses pre-weaner mortalities disjointedly in terms of the regions and observable symptoms, often without the in-depth analyses of biological processes and the environmental interactions causing these problems,” Segakoeng notes.
Infectious diseases, particularly gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses, are major culprits, as are non-infectious factors like malnutrition and tick-borne diseases such as heartwater. The study underscores the need for a shift from symptom-focused treatments to addressing the root causes through improved management and collaborative resource sharing. Community-based breeding programs that prioritize animals with superior pre-weaning performance and functional traits could be a game-changer.
The commercial impact of this research is significant. By understanding the underlying morbidity pathways, farmers and policymakers can develop holistic, context-appropriate mitigation strategies. This could enhance kid survival rates, strengthen the sustainability of goat farming systems, and ultimately boost the economic resilience of rural communities. “An understanding of the underlying morbidity pathways and their environmental, management-related, or genetic origins can support the development of holistic and context-appropriate mitigation strategies to enhance kid survival and strengthen the long-term sustainability of goat farming systems,” Segakoeng says.
As the agricultural sector grapples with the challenges of climate change, resource scarcity, and economic instability, this research offers a roadmap for more sustainable and productive goat farming. By integrating genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic factors into breeding and management practices, the sector can move toward a future where pre-weaning mortality is no longer a silent crisis but a solvable problem. The study, published in *Frontiers in Animal Science* and led by Moeketsi Segakoeng from the Department of Animal Sciences at Tshwane University of Technology, provides a crucial step in that direction.