Sustainable Goat Production in the Changing Climate

Dr. Veerasamy Sejian (M.V.Sc., PhD.), is Dean, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research, Puducherry, India. He was previously Principal Scientist at ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology (NIANP), Bangalore, India. Dr. Sejian established the concept of “Multiple stresses impacting small ruminants”. His current research focuses on identifying molecular markers for different environmental stresses in goats with the goal to develop agro-ecological zone specific thermo-tolerant breeds through metagenomic, transcriptomic and epigenetic changes associated approaches. Dr. Sejian has published 165 peer-reviewed articles, 119 book chapters, 285 invited/lead papers, 170 conference papers and 22 technical manuals, as well as three International Springer books. He was bestowed with Endeavour Research Fellowship by the Australian Government to pursue post doctorate at The University of Queensland, Australia. Dr. Sejian is also listed in world top 2% scientists by Stanford University, USA during the academic years 2020-2021 & 2021-2022. Sejian is also serving as Field Editor in Springer’s International Journal of Biometeorology, Associate Editor in Elsevier’s Small Ruminants Research and Academic Editor in PLOS Climate. He has guided 18 Masters and 3 PhD students. Dr. M.V. Silpa (M.V.Sc) is a Research Assistant at the Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany. Her research primarily focuses on linking animal genetics with heat stress, its impact on animal production, adaptation and assess thermo-tolerance, in goats and dairy cattle. She has been working on establishing the impact of heat stress on caprine skin using a holistic approach involving skin metagenomics, transcriptomics and epigenetics. She’s also working on assessing the impact of heat stress in dairy cattle under field condition. In her short research career, she has published over 13 peer-reviewed publications 34 book chapters, 8 popular articles, 7 invited papers, 22 conference papers and 14 NCBI sequence submissions. She also has 6 best paper presentation awards to her credit. She is a budding researcher with a lot of aspirations to do advanced research in the field of animal genetics and thermo-tolerance in livestock. Dr. D. Thirunavukkarasu specialized in Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education and is currently serving as Scientist, Farm Science Centre of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India located at Kallakurichi, Tamil Nadu. He has published peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and farm literatures. He has played a critical role in strengthening livestock-based livelihoods through technology transfer activities. In similar capacities, he has been associated with International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) and Indo-UK and DFID programs of RIVER, Puducherry in the past. He was a team member in establishing of Farm Science Centre(s) of Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, India. His current work focuses on socio-economic and behavioral factors driving adoption and diffusion of promoted technologies in the livestock sector. At his current workplace, he has been principal investigator /co-principal investigators for various research programs on technology transfer. He also has served as Chairman / members in advisory committee of masters and PhD students.

Section I: Climate Change and Goat welfare
1. Heat stress associated welfare indicators based on behavioural, physiological, endocrine, and biochemical response
2. Transportation of goats during summer season

Section II: Impact of Climate Change on Goat Production
3. Heat stress impact on growth performance in goats
4. Heat stress impact on reproductive performance in goats
5. Heat stress impact on meat characteristics and quality in goats
6. Climate change impact on products quality in goats
7. Heat stress impact on immune response in goats
8. Climate change associated nutritional stress on goat performance
9. Walking stress impact on goat production
10. Climate change associated water stress impact on goat production
11. Climate change associated disease occurrences in goats

Section III: Molecular mechanisms governing Goat Adaptation to climate change
12. Role of molecular chaperons governing heat stress response in goats
13. Heat stress mediated changes in the rumen microbiota in goats
14. Heat stress associated changes in the whole transcriptomics profile in goats
15. Epigenetic changes associated with goat adaptation

Section IV: Strategies to sustain goat production in the changing climate scenario
16. Enteric methane emission and strategies for mitigation in goats
17. Management strategies to sustain goat production
18. Challenges associated with controlling internal parasites in goats
19. Nutritional interventions to augment goat production
20. Biotechnological tools and genetic approaches to optimize goat production in changing climate scenario
21. Climate resistant technologies for goat production
22. Extension strategies in adaptation to climate change with a special reference to goat farming
23. Strengthening Climatic research-Extension-Farmers linkages to promote climate resilience goat production system
24. Climate change associated economic implications of goat farming and role of women in mitigating the effects
25. Adaptation of livestock services delivery system to mitigate the effects of climate change on goat farming
26. Policies upscaling for future goat production

Section V: Conclusion and Future Projections
27. Concluding remarks and future researchable priorities