Genetic parameters for body weight, reproduction, and parasite resistance traits in the Creole goat1

Abstract

We estimated the genetic parameters for BW, reproduction, and parasite resistance traits to implement a breeding program for the Creole goat. The traits were preweaning BW at 70 d of age (BW70d), BW at 11 mo of age (BW11), fecal egg count at 11 mo of age (FEC11) for all animals, packed cell volumes of lactating does (PCV), and their fertility (FER) and litter size (LS). We analyzed about 30 yr of data, which included 18,450 records on 11,970 animals from the INRA experimental flock in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). Heritability estimates were low for reproduction traits (0.11 ± 0.02 for LS and FER) to moderate for production traits (0.32 ± 0.03 for BW11; 0.20 ± 0.03 and 0.08 ± 0.02 for the direct and maternal heritability estimates of BW70d, respectively). Heritability estimates for gastrointestinal nematode resistance traits were situated in an intermediate range (0.13 ± 0.05 for PCV and 0.18 ± 0.04 for FEC11). Genetic correlations between FER, PCV, BW11, and the maternal effect of BW70d were altogether positive, whereas LS and FEC11 were almost uncorrelated phenotypically and genetically. These correlations are very favorable for setting up a breeding program, making it possible to improve BW, reproduction, and parasite resistance traits simultaneously.

Systèmes d’élevage caprins en zone tropicale : analyse des fonctions et des performances

“…Quel que soit le scénario envisagé en termes de quantité ou coût des intrants, le poids et la fertilité sont les deux composantes dont l'amélioration génère le bénéfice le plus grand. Les corrélations génétiques estimées pour la chèvre Créole entre les différents caractères sélectionnés sont soit très faibles (indépendance) soit plutôt favorables (Gunia et al 2011).…”

Economic values of body weight, reproduction and parasite resistance traits for a Creole goat breeding goal

“…Selection on resilience has received less attention in the literature than selection on resistance and the results vary according to the nematode species, the traits used to assess resilience (drench requirement, growth under challenge, PCV) and, more generally, the environment and breeding conditions. In Creole goats, there were no significant genetic correlations between FEC and production traits, but there were favourable genetic correlations between PCV of does and weight and fertility (Gunia et al, 2011). The genetic correlation of FEC measured on kids at 11 months and PCV of does was not significantly different from zero, whereas the genetic correlations between FEC and PCV measured at the same age were strongly negative (Mandonnet et al, 2001;Mandonnet et al, 2006).…”

“…The units of the traits used in this study are presented in Table 2. These genetic standard deviations were 1.89 for BW11, 12.25 for FER, 1.60 for PCV and 0.38 FEC in Creole goats (Gunia et al, 2011). For DP, no data were available for Creole goats or other breeds of goat in the literature; hence, the genetic standard deviation (1.22) given by Greeff et al (2008) in sheep was used.…”

La sélection génétique pour la maîtrise des strongyloses gastro-intestinales des petits ruminants

“…Dans leur revue bibliographique, Safari et al (2005) rapportent une corrélation génétique moyenne de -0,24 entre le poids et l'excrétion d'oeufs chez les ovins. Chez la chèvre Créole, des relations neutres ont été estimées entre fertilité, prolificité, valeur laitière et excrétion d'oeufs tandis que la corrélation avec le poids à la mise en reproduction est légèrement favorable (Gunia et al 2011). En revanche, la relation entre la résistance et la croissance en milieu non infesté n'est pas connue.…”