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Presentation of FP7 project “Hormone-free non-seasonal or seasonal goat reproduction for a sustainable European goat-milk market ; FLOCK-REPROD” a partnership between Research and Technological Development partners (RTD) and Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)

FLOCK-REPROD is a European project co-financed by the Seventh Framework Programme (Capacities, Research for SME Associations). It began in December 2009 and brings together 15 partners including research institutes and SMEs: CAPGENES (France, coordinator of the project), ACRIMUR, KPRA and CABRAMA (Spain), ANCRAS (Portugal), ARAL (Italy), CAPRIROM (Romania), OLYMPOS (Greece) and OPG Moravec (Croatia). In the European context of increased restrictions in the use of exogenous hormones (currently used by the majority of dairy goat breeders using artificial insemination (AI)) in breeding systems (96/22/EC), this project aims at providing the dairy goat industry with an innovative and sustainable technology to ensure the hormone-free production of goats’ milk and related products, in full conformity with EC regulation. The work plan has been structured in 6 work packages (WP). The first three are dedicated to “Research and Technological Development”: experiments based on the use of the male effect and light treatments are carried out to obtain a high-level of oestrus synchronisation and thus to optimize AI conditions, in and out of the breeding season. Seasonal variations of sexual activity and ovulatory response to the male are studied in breeds for which those physiological data are lacking (WP1). In other breeds, photoperiodic treatments without melatonin (WP2) and progestagen-free (prostaglandin-based) / hormone-free AI protocols (WP3) are already being tested. Moreover, protocols will be delivered according to breeders’ technical and geographical situations. The different breeds concerned are: Alpine goats in France ; Saanen goats in Croatia ; Murciano-Granadina goats in Spain ; Sarda goats in Sardinia ; Serrana goats in Portugal ; Capra-Prisca, Damascus and Skopelos goats in Greece ; White of Banat and Carpathian goats in Romania. Once standardized “male effect + AI” protocols developed, they will be tested and validated in large-scale field conditions by SMEs (WP4) before dissemination and technological transfer (WP5). Finally, technical and practical guides will be produced (for technicians and breeders), as well as a training DVD and a trademark. The last work package (WP6) is dedicated to the management of the project. The first results show that the male effect is a very promising non-pharmacological alternative to the use of hormones for inducing and synchronising oestrus in some breeds of goats. Depending on the breed and/or the time of the year, a photoperiodic treatment of the females and/or the males might be necessary to optimize the response to the male effect. (http://www.flock-reprod.eu)

FP7; goat; reproduction; hormone free

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