Current situation and outlook of several local goat breeds in the semi-arid regions of Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is one of the countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. Goats were only introduced in Brazil with the Portuguese colonization, which took place in 1500. Since then, over the centuries, these animals began to develop various techniques of adapting into the several environments they were assigned to through processes of natural and artificial selection. This chapter's aim was to describe the current situation and the perspectives of local goat breeds in the Brazilian semi-arid region. The historical and socioeconomic importance of local breeds, the systems of production, the main local goat breeds as well as their current status, and also the management strategies that have been applied in view of these breeds' conservation will be discussed.