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Asian Journal of Animal Sciences

Year: 2015 | Volume: 9 | Issue: 6 | Page No.: 370-378
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Authors

Peter T. Birteeb

Bright A. Danquah

Abdul-Rahaman S. Salifu

Keywords

Research Article

Growth Performance of West African Dwarf Goats Reared in the Transitional Zone of Ghana

Peter T. Birteeb, Bright A. Danquah and Abdul-Rahaman S. Salifu
The West African Dwarf (WAD) goats are the predominant breed of goats in Ghana. The present study aimed at assessing the growth performance (Birth weight-BWT, Pre-weaning growth rate-PREWGR, Weaning weight-WWT, Post-weaning growth rate-POSWGR and Yearling weight-YWT) of WAD goats reared in the transitional zone. About 809 breeding records from 2005-2012, live weight and linear body measurements (of 325 animals) were collected on WAD goats and subjected to GLM procedure to determine the fixed effects of sex, type of birth, season of birth and year of birth on growth performance. The fixed effects of sex and age on body measurements were also tested and then regression analysis done with body measurements. The sex of kid had significant effect (p<0.05) on pre-weaning growth rate and weaning weight, with males recording 32.42 g day-1 and 5.30 kg and females recording 31.75 g day-1 and 5.21 kg, respectively. Only birth and weaning weights were significantly (p<0.01) affected by type of birth as single born kids recorded highest values for BWT (1.56±0.02) and WWT (5.49±0.03). Kids born in the rainy season had significantly (p<0.05) higher values for POSWGR and YWT. The influence of year of birth was significant (p<0.05) on all growth parameters. The highest BWT (1.50 kg), PREWGR (39.05 g day-1), WWT (6.23 kg), POSWGR (24.66 g day-1) and YWT (11.09 kg) were recorded in 2009, 2005, 2010, 2012 and 2012, respectively. Oldest goats had significantly (p<0.01) highest body measurements in all traits. Heart girth was better in predicting live weight, but highest accuracy of 63% was obtained from combination of heart girth and body length. Conclusively, sex of kid, birth type, season of birth and year of birth affected growth performance of the WAD goats, while age of kid affected body measurements.
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