As appeared in Goat Rancher June 2010 Observations on the Savanna Goat: History, Importation, and Breed Characteristics and Utilization Brian Payne , Scandia, Alberta, Canada Preface In the recent past there has been increased producer interest in improving their herds by increasing their genetic worth. Crossbreeding is one of the ways to do this as is evidenced by the use of combinations of Spanish, Boers, and, later on, Kikos. More recently there has been increasing interest in using the Savanna breed, perhaps primarily to improve maternal characteristics while maintaining or improving carcass traits. It is the purpose of this paper to provide historical information about this relatively unknown breed and possibly dispel, insofar as possible, erroneous notions held by those who are inadequately informed. Introduction My personal interest in Savannah goats began in 1996 with a visit to South Africa and the World Boer Goat Championships. As president of the Canadian Boer Goat Association, I was interested in meeting many of the South African breeders who had exported embryos to Canada. In my earlier capacity as a consultant to Landcorp Farming of New Zealand, I became aware of Boer goat production and history, primary through the publications of Dr Quentin Campbell, pre-eminent South African livestock researcher. Dr. Campbell’s 1984 paper on “The development of a meat producing goat in South Africa” was referenced in the prestigious Small Ruminant Research Journal (Casey and Van Niekerk, 1988) which featured articles on “The Boer Goat: Origin, Adaptability, Performance Testing, Reproduction and Milk Production”, as well as, “Growth, Nutrient Requirements, Carcass and Meat Quality”. Almost all of the performance data cited in these sources was the work of Dr. Campbell. It had been collected while he was “Officer in Charge” of South Africa’s Mutton Sheep and Goat Performance Testing Scheme. Primary conclusions of this paper and others (”Performance Testing and Adaptability of Boer Goats”, Campbell) are instructive (italics are mine, here as elsewhere): 1.) “The future of Boer goats lies in performance testing for economically important traits. Performance testing “is the second phase in the development of the Boer goat breed. The first phase was the adoption of (phenotypic) breed standards which developed (and codified) uniformity of type, color, hair, and body conformation.” (Casey and Van Niekerk) 2.) “No performance criteria are stipulated as faults for culling within the Boer goat breed standards (for example, semen quality, growth rate, feed conversion, fertility, mothering ability, milk production or carcass quality characteristics. Discrimination against furryness has been questioned…” (op. cit.) 3.) Crossbreeding studies (Angwenyi and Cartwright, 1987) concluded that “the Boer Goat was a logical sire breed, contributing significant directly additive effects to body weights at 4 to 12 months of age, and to pre-weaning absolute growth rates, but Boer goat maternal additive effects were mostly negative”. 4.) “Reproduction is the trait of greatest economic importance. Any breeder who wants to implement performance testing should keep proper ewe records (ease of lambing, growth rate of lambs, lamb mortality, number of lambs weaned, and the health status of the ewes as well as the lambs. He should use these parameters for selection purposes and select for productivity and not for fancy points. Should (Boer) breeders persist in paying a lot of attention to split scrotums and the amount of red hair and spots which may be allowed, very little genetic improvement for economically important traits will be made”. Quentin Campbell’s bias in favor of production economics over Show Ring- determined “fancy points” reminded me of my long-time friend and mentor, Dr. Frank Pinkerton, who regularly promotes on-farm testing over phenotypic selection (visual evaluation). Like other survivors of the early boom-and-bust days in the Boer goat business, I was determined to have productive animals under commercial conditions rather than overfed Show animals. Like many others, I was concerned that the mothering characteristics of some Boer goats as well as the sluggish behavior of many newborn kids might be deleterious to commercial profitability. (Such adverse traits are seen today in the U. S. in some portion of this breed and have promoted crossbreeding in commercial herds to alleviate the difficulties and improve profitability). However, meeting “Quenty” in 1996 peaked my interest in Savannah goats. His paper on “The Origin and Development of Savanna Goats” and a later publication describing “The Savannah White Goats of Olierivier” (“Origin and Description of the Well-Adapted Indigenous Fat-Tailed and Fat-Rumped Sheep Breeds and Indigenous Goat Breeds of South Africa”) seemed to describe just the kind of goat I was looking for. 1.) “Savannas are sexually active during the whole year” 2.) “One ram can be mated to fifty or more ewes.” 3.) “Savanna goats have relatively simple and low nutritional requirements and can survive and reproduce where other small stock breeds can not exist.” 4.) “Savannas are the ultimate easy care goats.” 5.) “Indigenous rams did not develop mouth, leg or hoof problems as was the case with some Boer goats.” 6.) “Savanna goats produce a higher net profit because of lower input costs.” 7.) “Very good mothering ability and milk production of the ewes ensure fast growing lambs. Savanna ewes must be able to lamb in the veld (brush land) and rear their lambs without assistance.” Because of these traits, I became determined to own some of these hardy, disease resistant white goats and began planning a return trip to South Africa. Dr. Campbell’s lifelong quest, as stated in an article, “Outstanding Producer of Red Meat from Low Quality Grazing (Boerbok Nuus, 1998), became my personal quest as well. Accordingly, I re- visited him in the spring of 1999 to interview him about the Savanna goat Standards (detailed description of desirable phenotypic traits) and to visit the Savanna operation of Lubbe Cilliers and family. (My video interviews of Dr. Campbell and Mr. Lubbe Cilliers describing the Savannah breed history will soon be available via the North American Savanna Association website). Savanna history in South Africa The D.S.U. Cilliers stud was started in 1957. The family had a variety of indigenous “Boer” goats (in the Afrikaans language, “farm” goats), which were separable, by phenotypic characteristics, into various types of goats as follows: (Van Rensburg, 1938, op.cit.). - Ordinary Boer goats such as roan or “skilder” goats - Brindle or Briekwa goats - Mouse-eared or short eared goats - White red-headed Boer goats - Long-haired or “Jas” Boer goats - Long-eared polled Boer goats As was common in those days, many of these types were found in the original Cilliers’ flock; selection for uniformity in phenotype, or for improved production characteristics, had not yet been started in South Africa. Lubbe described it as “by chance” that one of his mother’s indigenous ewes had a set of pure white twins and his schoolboy’s dream of a “wit Boerbok” (white Boer goat) was born. These and other white goats were propagated, and, after 36 years of “natural selection” under extremely unfavorable conditions, a group of 12 indigenous ‘white goat’ breeders met in November, 1993 at Olierivier and decided to form a Savanna Goat Breeders Society (Association). Given the worldwide interest in South African goat genetics generated by the Boer goat exports to North America, it is important to note that other indigenous goats were acceptable to the Savanna Society in 1996, i.e., red (Kalahari), roan (Skilder) and mouse-eared goats. The evolving nature of the Savanna breed was evidenced by the appearance of a few white goats with red heads in some of the original North American embryo transplant progeny. All of these goats are ‘pure’ Savanna goats, as defined by the founders. The Savanna breed was, and is, the legacy of Lubbe Cilliers, the major player in its development. In another area of South Africa (the East Cape), a small group of breeders selected from similar types of indigenous ‘farm’ goats, but their selection criteria included emphases on different body conformation characteristics and on one specific color pattern. Thus the red headed, white-bodied Boer goat breed was created, and, in 1959 the South African Boer Goat Association was formed to further develop and merchandize the breed. In an earlier Goat Rancher article, Dr. Pinkerton described this breed development process as follows: “Readers should understand that a recognized ‘breed’ came into existence when a few interested and able men sat around a table and: 1) using a blank ledger, first created a Herd Book; 2) then arbitrarily decided the phenotypic characteristics of animals deemed desirable for inclusion in the Herd Book, and 3) arbitrarily identified and chose the initial ‘foundation males and females’, which were then given ‘registration numbers’ into perpetuity. In South Africa, as also in Canada, the Herd Book is maintained, not by the Association, but by an ‘arms-length, unbiased and independent body that reviews and responds to producer-controlled Breed Associations. Only one Association is allowed to represent a given breed. In South Africa, this body is the Stud Book & Livestock Association. It was created in 1905 as a producer organization but became a Government entity in 1977 via the South Africa Livestock Improvement Act; the Canadian version is the Animal Pedigree Act. The Stud Book is the only organization that may issue pedigree certificates (registration papers). It is also the repository of the Breed Standards for each Association and changes can be made only with both Association and Stud Book approval. Note that the Breed Association itself decides, at its inception, the ‘content’ of the original Herd Book. Dr. Pinkerton has described it thusly: “Such an Association Herd Book may be closed or open. If closed, only descendents of the original animals selected for the Herd Book may be registered. An open Book permits subsequent additions of ‘outside’ animals’ sired only by Herd Book-registered males, through a closely controlled process of ‘grading-up’. The original phenotypic characteristics used to denote ‘minimal standards’ for registration may, or may not be modified over time by the Association. The strife and tribulation accompanying such organizational decisions, large and small, are near endless, but such decisions are, in point of fact, necessary for the perpetuation of the breed—and equally important, the membership. The primary function of any Breed Association is to maintain operational exclusivity of the Herd Book; all else is peripheral”. (In the U. S., all such decisions were, and are, at the discretion of the Association (or Associations, in the case of Boers and Kikos); in South Africa and Canada, ‘Government’ approval is also required). The Herd Book and its control through an active Association are fundamental to breed survival. Indeed, the integrity, and therefore the legitimacy, of a breed is dependent upon a properly conducted breed registry procedures because genetic stability of any breed is evidenced by the proven relationship (unbroken chain) of all animals to a common foundation population with common origin and history. Genetic stability of a breed population is further evidenced by successive generations of adherence to established breed phenotypic standards (but may be modified by Association membership). Imports of Savannas to the U. S. Jurgen Schulz (CODI-PCI) imported the first South African Savanna goats to a Florida quarantine station in late 1994; in early 1995, they went to a Texas ranch approved as a quarantine unit. On December 5, 1998 the surviving herd was sold through the Kifaru Exotics sale barn in Lampasas, Texas to buyers from several states. Little is known about the reproduction or sale of any of these original imports or progeny prior to the complete herd dispersal sale. Unfortunately, too little is also known about the proliferation and distribution of the animals and progeny thereafter. The lack of an Association or even a Registry for some time after the Kifaru sale makes it difficult, if not impossible, to trace correctly—and thus prove the validity of—all the goats purported to be pure Savannas. The only documentation provided to Kifaru purchasers was a “Dear Customer” cover letter indicating the animal had originated ‘from Mr. Cilliers’s farm in South Africa” along with a statement that “these were the only Savanna goats in this country”. One generation of pedigree information was provided, and buyers were told “the U. S did not have a Savanna goat Association/Registry. Some six years later, the second set of Savannas was imported by my firm, Keri-rose, to Alberta, Canada. These Cillier embryo-derived, Canadian-born, Savanna goats hit the ground in the spring of 2000, but they didn’t remain Canadian citizens for very long. We had made a decision to “move south” and follow our goat dreams at the Galaxy Ranch, the farm of Kay and Ellis King near Kinston, N.C. We later moved the herd of 29 Savannas (17 bucks and 12 does) to the Turkey Tracks Boer goat operation near Fayetteville, NC. All Keri-rose Savannas were blood sampled for DNA storage at the Saskatchewan Bovine Blood Tying Laboratory prior to moving to NC. South African Stud Book certificates of registration of the original embryos were received while we were in Kinston. Thereafter, we maintained detailed breeding records to be used for subsequent registrations in the U. S. as circumstances permitted. While in NC, we leased Savannas to Mike Browning, Erick and Derrick Wilson (Timberlake, N.C.) and Jerry Webb (Ivor, Virginia). Multiplication of Keri-Rose genetics was accomplished through several ET programs conducted by the Wilson brothers who were, later, estate heirs of Mike Browning, an original purchaser of Jurgen Schulz’s Savannah genetics at the Kifaru sale. We later relocated our Savannas to Chris Glynos of CT and thereafter sold him a portion and returned the remainder to our farm in Alberta. We collected on-farm performance in ’09 and will do so in ’10 as part of effort to improve our herd and to merchandize ‘tested’ stock to others. The third source of Savannah genetic material imported from South Africa was through DNAfrica an organization spearheaded by Johan Campher who set up representatives (DVMs) in Canada to sell Savanna embryos or descendants. This procedure took advantage of an existing Protocol between South Africa and Canada. The U. S. had no such Protocol, then or now (the Schulz live-goat importation was an inexplicable exception). Subsequently, Ms. Dennise Peterson of Hanford, CA as well as David Hagen of MN worked with the Canadian veterinarians to implant recipients and produce an unknown (to me) number of live Savannahs. These animals must have arrived on American soil sometime before the end of 2002 because it was at this time that Ms. Peterson was actively trying to establish the World Wide Savanna Goat Association (now known as the World Wide Sheep and Goat Archives). Personal communication with Dr. Brian McOnie of British Columbia (a DNAfrica representative) confirmed the authenticity of Ms. Peterson’s program, but privacy concerns would not allow him to elaborate on its size, its success rate in terms of live kids or the pedigree information. Apparently, the Petersen goats were later sold to Ms. Lynette Ladeau of AZ, recently relocated to MN. I know nothing of the fate of the Hagen goats. Creation of a Savanna Breed Registry I believe, but do not know for certain, that by 2002-2003 Ms. Peterson’s WWSGA and Ms. Pauline Wohnoutka’s Pedigree International were registering Savanna goats; they do so today. However, there was as yet no national Savanna Association with an associated Registry. To fill this perceived need, I and other Savanna owners created the North American Savannah Association (NASA). It was legally incorporated on August 25, 2003 as a Texas Non-Profit Association. Dr. Pinkerton, Elgin Pape (a TX Spanish goat breeder using Savanna bucks), and I were the required three Directors. The stated purpose of the ‘corporation’ was to ‘develop and promote the Savanna goat in North America by establishing and maintaining a Breed Registry and by encouraging seed stock performance recording’. The three founding Directors and eleven other Savanna owners each paid a $300 Charter Membership fee in order to pay for the creation of a ‘legal entity’ and its anticipated computer programming needs. The Charter members were Pat O’Brien, Benalto, Alberta, Canada; John Tarnowetzki, Tuffnell, Saskatchewan, Canada; Ron Stein, Lake, MS; Charles Barnes, Sims, NC; Erick and Derick Wilson, Timberlake, NC; Dale Coody, Lawton, OK; Lonnie Durbin, Central, SC; Dr. Lynn Harwell, Seneca, SC; Zelotes Shaver, Grapeland, TX, plus Pinkerton, Pape, and me. Brian Payne was instructed to address the following key issues: 1) Obtain a buyer list of the original Savannas imported by Jurgen Schulz and as later sold through his Kifaru sales facility. There was group concern that ‘imposter’ Savannas could possibly be offered for registration; accordingly, Schulz document was vital information for establishment of a creditable Registry. It was so obtained and is now part of the certificate verification process used by the NASA Registrar. 2) Contract the services of an experience, economical, and un-biased Registrar to provide the registration services for Savanna owners in North America. In due time, The American Dorper Sheep Breeders’ Association (ADSBS) authorized their Registrar, Ms. Ronda Sparks, to undertake the registration of Savanna goats. The NASA address is PO Box 259, Hallsville, MO 65255-0259, ph 573-696-2550 or email nasaregistrar@yahoo.com. Services were initiated in December of 2003. 3) Provide the Registrar with a clear definition of full-blood foundation stock and specify the necessary documentation for acceptance into the NASA Herd Book For registration purposes, initial full-blood foundation stock were identified as: a) Savannas imported by Jurgen Schulz in 1995 and subsequently sold at his dispersal in December 5, 1998; breeders must provide original Kifaru Sales documentation, verify any subsequent sales or transfers of ownership and provide their private breeding records to register their animals; and b) Savannas born from embryos and their descendants imported by Keri-rose or DNAfrica must be accompanied by government importation documents, certificates of embryo transfer completed by both the exporting veterinary team and the domestic implant team as well as their private breeding records (i.e., recipients utilized) and any subsequent sales or transfers of ownership. 4) Instruct the Registrar to register offspring of grade females of unknown provenance if sired by fullbred Savanna bucks and to issue registration certificates as purebred Savannas if they are 15/16 Savanna. As with all breeder organizations, some of the original members of NASA dropped out over time. However, new members enrolled and registered their goats. Although there is no ‘formal’ Savanna Association (President, Vice- President, etc.), the present membership interacts, as needed, with the three Managing Directors (currently Chris Glynos of CT, Dawn Steiger of KY, and myself). In concluding this short history of the Savannah breed in North America and the formation of the North American Savannah Association, I would be remiss, as founding Board Member/Director, if I did not note the critical contribution of Nan Brock of Palestine, TX as early recording secretary of NASA. I also cite the later participation of Board Member/Director, Chris Glynos of Bethlehem, CT and, most recently, of Dawn Steiger of Bowling Green, KY, who serves as Public Relations person of NASA as well as Board Member/Director. She is responsible for our Webpage and has been very active in recruiting new members. “Lubbe’s Legacy” could not have been protected without the help of these individuals. Now that the Registry is functioning smoothly, I encourage all Savannah enthusiasts to get their registrations up to date, to re-new their memberships (or join), and to participate in the further development of NASA. As of this writing, there is no official Association entity; in the interim, members interact with the three Directors at will. As the membership grows, a more formal arrangement can be made. I specifically encourage all owners to enroll theirs herds in the On-farm Performance Evaluation Program conducted by Dr. Kenneth Andries at KY SU, Frankfort, KY (kenneth.andries@kysu.edu.). As Dr. Pinkerton so often says, registration certificates trace only pedigrees, not performances, and, secondly, phenotypic evaluations only tell one what an animal looks like, not how it will perform. Put differently, performance testing is a factual—and thus useful— contribution to herd management in pursuit of profitability; pedigrees are but interesting genetic history. He, and I, would consider a performance-tested animal (from two generations of tested animals) to be appreciably more valuable than one with a legitimate six-generation pedigree, but unknown performance ability. Pedigrees sell, but pedigrees- cum-performance sell better. If they do not so sell, we are all but producers and purveyors of (too cheap) auction- bound slaughter goats, or so says The Goat Man… |
Welcome
The 50 year vision of the Savanna Goat
Create a goat through natural selection off the farm in the
harsh veld (savanna) of South Africa capable of efficiently
producing low cost red meat from a browsing
environment.
NASA preserves authentic South African stock
maintaining that easy care performance traits and strong
mothering ability are paramount to ongoing breeding
selection and breed success. Watch the documentary and
interviews of breed founder and developers Lubbe Cilliers
and Dr. Quentin Campbell taken in South Africa 1999
-The Making of the breed "Thoughts on Savanna Goats" is
a four part short series posted on You tube. Links below
All rights reserved.
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| Savanna Goat Origin and Breed Standards Dr. Quentin Campbell, Translated and Authenticated by Lubbe Cillers, breed originator. Courtesy of Mr Johan Hills, South Africa and Dawn Steiger, Rising Sun Ranch reproduction without express consent is strictly prohibited |
| The blueprint of the savanna goat is explained through interviews and video footage of Savannas goats in South Africa. This video footage was filmed in February 1999 by Brian Payne, NASA President before he imported Savanna embryos and includes interviews of both Dr. Quentin Campbell, South African small stock expert and Lubbe Cilliers, Savanna breed originator. This four part documentary is a must see for anyone interested in learning more about natural selection of livestock and the Savanna goat. Please enjoy by clicking on the links below. Dawn Steiger, NASA PR and Media All rights reserved duplication or reproduction without the express permission of NASA is strictly prohibited PART 1 The role of Natural Selection PART 2 Savanna Traits In the first and second segments, Dr. Quentin Campbell discusses his role in livestock development in South Africa including his role in the development of the Savanna goat breed. Dr. Campbell is a highly respected small stock expert who also contributed to the Boer and Dorper breeds. The Savanna goat is noted by Dr Campbell to be a breed selected by nature in the harsh and unforgiving South African environment. He explains the differences between mother nature's design to survive and thrive versus mans vision of livestock selection and ultimately how that affects the overall success of all small stock production including the commercial goat producer in South Africa and abroad. This is a must see as it provides valuable insight and guidance for the success of today’s producer. PART 3 How the Breed was Created PART 4 Savannas in the Veld of South Africa The third and fourth segments showcase the Legacy of Lubbe Cilliers and the Savanna goat in South Africa with the breed creator. In this video footage from 1999 Lubbe explains how he created and founded the Savanna goat breed in South Africa over a 42 (now 54) year period. He tells the story in his own words while providing his savanna goats for review and demonstration. The video is filmed at the Cilliers farm in South Africa. Mr. Cilliers has expressed that he is pleased with the new interest and appreciation of the Savanna Goat abroad and is now working with NASA to ensure that this legacy endures in North America. Mr. Cilliers has provided the breed standard above. The Cilliers family still actively breeds and develops his original line in South Africa. Lubbe plans on assisting us by providing photographs to illustrate and accompany the standard. These will also be made available to the public as soon as they are available. |
"Thoughts on Savanna Goats from South Africa 1999"
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