Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting body weight in Tellicherry goats

Abstract

Data on 566 Tellicherry goats, recorded between 1988 and 2007 were used to study the effect of nongenetic factors on body weight and daily gain from birth to 12 months of age. The least-squares means for body weight at birth and at 12 months of age were 2.17 ± 0.03 and 18.78 ± 0.44 kg, respectively. The preand post-weaning average daily weight gains were 72.41 ± 1.68 and 37.46 ± 1.49 g, respectively, and the associated growth efficiencies were 3.11 ± 0.08 and 1.34 ± 0.05, respectively. Significant differences associated with the year of kidding were observed in body weight, weight gain and efficiency in weight gain at different stages of growth. Growth rate of kids born between December and February was relatively slower than those born in other months and this can result from seasonal changes and suggests that it is necessary to plan the kidding season rationally by controlling the oestrus and mating time. The kids born as twin had lower birth weight and slower early growth rate than those born as single but had a higher postweaning growth rate. The heritabilities of different traits were moderate to high, except for birth weight, which was of low heritability. The phenotypic and genetic correlations among the different body weights were positive and low to high in magnitude._______________________________________________________________________________

Genetic studies on growth traits of Mehsana goat of Gujarat, India

“…The heritability estimates of birth and weaning weights were moderate in magnitude. The present findings were well within the range of those obtained in other breeds (Yadav et al, 2008, Thiruvenkadan et al, 2009, Mandal et al, 2013. However lower estimates were reported by Roy et al (2008) in Jamunapari, Snyman, (2012 in Angora and Singh et al(2013) in Jamunapari kids.…”

“…Similarly, comparable estimates for WADG and PADG were obtained by Singh et al (2009) andPandey (2013) in Mehsana. However, slightly lower estimates were obtained by Thiruvenkadan et al (2009) in Tellichery and by Husain et al (1996) in Black Bengal goats. The year of birth of kids had highly significant (P < 0.01) effect on body weights at all the developmental stages, but there were no clear cut patterns of growth over the years (Fig.1).…”

A Study on Phenotypic and Genetic Correlations between Birth Weight and other Growth Traits in Teddy Goat

“…The moderate estimates of genetic correlation between the two traits were in accordance with those findings, which reported that genetic correlations between birth weight and 6 months weight in Tellicherry goat kids were 0.378±0.417 [11]. Moderate genetic correlations between the two traits were also reported by many other workers in different goat breeds around the world [9,17,19,22].…”

“…The high estimates of genetic correlation between the two traits were also supported by the findings of different workers in different goat breeds around the world [6][7][8][9][10][11]. Shafiq & Sharif [6] reported that the genetic correlations between birth weight and weaning weight were 0.70±0.49 in Teddy goats, while significant genetic (0.69) correlations were also reported between birth weight and weaning weight by Hyder et al [7] in Teddy goats.…”

“…In Sirohi goats the estimates for phenotypic, genetic and residual correlations between birth weight and nine month weight were 0.28±0.01, 0.43±0.13 and 0.26±0.03 [22]. Genetic and Phenotypic correlations between birth weight and 9 months weight in Tellicherry goat kids were 0.291±0.455 and 0.256±0.114, respectively [11].…”