A nucleus-breeding flock of selected Black Bengal goat was established in the Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute (BLRI) with the objective of conservation and improvement of the breed. A total of 120 does of different generations (70=foundation stock, 45=First generation and 5=Second generation) and 20 bucks (15=Foundation stock and 5=First generation) were used to study the genetic parameters of Black Bengal goat on productive and reproductive traits. Animals were bred naturally. Goats were reared under intensive and semi-intensive management to compare performance. Birth weights of kids were 1.49±0.13 and 1.28±0.11 kg, respectively for intensive and semiintensive rearing system. Number of services required for each successful conception was 1.16±0.019 with an average gestation length of 143.33±0.68 days. Litter size increased (P<0.001) linearly with parity. Average litter size of Black Bengal goat was 1.94±0.06. Rearing system, season, parity, generation and generation × parity interaction did not affect (P>0.05) the post partum estrous interval. Young females attained puberty at an age and weight of 186.02±10.52 days and 9.4±0.52 kg, respectively. In case of intensive rearing system it took 139 days to show 1st heat compared to 198 days in semi-intensive rearing system. Intensive system reduced the age at 1st kidding to 284±31.2 days from 370±25.5 days in semi-intensive system. The effects of parity, generation, and generation × parity interaction on kidding interval were not significant (P>0.05). The average daily milk yield and lactation length was 1.088 kg (750g suckled milk + 338g from hand milking) and 68.07±2.83 days respectively. The effect of parity and generation on doe weight after kidding was significant (P<0.01) but the effect of generation × parity interaction was not significant (P>0.05). Heritability estimates from sire and dam component for birth weight, weight at 3, 6, 9, 12 months of age and litter size were 0.92, 0.48, 0.34, 0.45, 0.88 and 0.17, respectively. Heritability estimates only from sire component for birth weight, weight at 3, 6, 9, 12 months of age and litter size were 0.05, 0.28, 0.77, 0.29, 0.18 and 0.15, respectively. Repeatability estimates for birth weight, litter size, kidding interval and daily milk yield were 0.47, 0.15, 0.02 and 0.49, respectively. Keywords: Black Bengal goat; Performance traits; Heritability; Repeatability DOI: 10.3329/jbau.v8i1.6401J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 8(1): 67-78, 2010

The Phenotypic characteristics of three genotypes of native chicken comprising of Non-descript Desi (ND), Hilly (H) and Naked Neck (NN) were studied. A total of 180 individual chickens (Male: ND= 20; H= 20 and NN=20; Female: ND= 40, H=40 and NN = 40) were characterized under intensive management system for qualitative and quantitative traits. The results indicated that the predominant plumage color of three types of native chickens was black brownish (33.33%) followed by white with black tips (28.33 %) and red brownish (18.33%). Values indicate that 35% of native chickens had whitish shank color followed by yellowish 31.68%; black 11.66 % and others 21.67 %. All hens of ND, H and NN laid light brown (62.42%) to cream or off white (30.28%) colored eggs. Variations were also found on quantitative traits such as shank length, body weight and reproductive traits on intensive management system. number of eggs/ hen from starting to ten months of laying were 108, 104 and 112, respectively in ND, H and NN genotypes. Three native chicken genotypes showed distinct physical variations for both qualitative and quantitative traits under intensive management system. Keywords: Native chicken; Quantitative traits; Qualitative traitsDOI: 10.3329/jbau.v8i1.6402J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 8(1): 79-82, 2010

The study was conducted to compare the performance of chickens of non-descript desi (ND),

The present study was undertaken to estimate the heritability for growth traits in a nucleus herd of Red Chittagong cattle (RCC) using data from 2005 to 2010. The traits considered were birth weight, weight at three-month intervals from birth to 24 months, and pre-weaning and post-weaning growth rate. The mean pooled weight (mean ± se) of 127 RCC calves from birth to 24 months at three month intervals were 14.7 ± 0.2, 29.3 ± 6.1, 42.6 ± 9.2, 55.0 ± 12.4, 66.2 ± 15.5, 74.5 ± 16.0, 86.1 ± 23.5, 98.8 ± 24.8 and 111.6 ± 25.2 kg, respectively. The pre-and post-weaning growth rates were 148.5 ± 45.0 and 116.6 ± 56.5 g/day, respectively. The pre-weaning growth rate was significantly (P<0.01) higher than post-weaning. For the estimation of heritability single trait animal models under Residual Maximum Likelihood (REML) analyses were done considering sex, parity, season and year of birth as fixed effect and animal's additive genetic as random effect. Estimates of heritability for weight at birth, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21 and 24 month of age were 0.48 ± 0.04, 0.49 ± 0.06, 0.50 ± 0.08, 0.47 ± 0.06, 0.50 ± 0.08, 0.50 ± 0.33, 0.44 ± 0.14, 0.50 ± 0.11 and 0.50 ± 0.15, respectively. Heritability estimates for pre-and post-weaning growth rate were 0.48 ± 0.06 and 0.49 ± 0.17, respectively. This moderately high heritability of growth of RCC suggests that RCC selected for growth up to 24 months of age would show a quick response. (Bangl. vet.

The present study was undertaken to estimate effects of environmental factors on milk production traits in Red Chittagong Cattle (RCC). A total of 103 milk yield records of 45 RCC cows obtained between 2005 and 2009 were analysed. Actual lactation yield, lactation length, daily milk yield and dry period were estimated as 500.7 ± 19.3 kg, 259.6 ± 6.2 days, 1.9 ± 0.1 kg and 162.4 ± 7.7 days, respectively. Age and season corrected lactation yield, 305 day milk yield and daily milk yield were estimated as 605.4 ± 22.9, 677.1 ± 19.4 and 2.2 ± 0.1 kg, respectively. Sex of calf and season of birth did not significantly (P>0.05) affect production, but lactation order significantly (P<0.05) affected production except lactation length. Year of birth had no effect (P>0.05) on the traits analysed except daily milk yield (P<0.05). Calving age significantly (P<0.05) affected lactation yield but did not other traits. Cows in 5 th lactation produced highest total (604.3 ± 69.3 kg) and daily milk yield (2.17 ± 1.8 kg). Cows aged 6 -7 years had best lactation