Selection Progress on Growth and Milk Production Performance of Indigenous Abergelle Goat Breed under on Station Condition in Wag-Himra, Ethiopia
Received: 08-Mar-2023 / Manuscript No. JFLP-23-91121 / Editor assigned: 10-Mar-2023 / PreQC No. JFLP-23-91121(PQ) / Reviewed: 24-Mar-2023 / QC No. JFLP-23-91121 / Revised: 29-Mar-2023 / Manuscript No. JFLP-23-91121(R) / Accepted Date: 31-Mar-2023 / Published Date: 05-Apr-2023 DOI: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000407
Abstract
The study was conducted at Aybera main animal breeding and feeding experimental site in Wag-Himra administrative zone in Amhara regional state, in Ethiopia. The site was established to conserve the indigenous Abergelle goat breed and improve the performance growth and milk production traits through selective breeding. A total of 516 kids for body weight, and 304 does for milk yield performance were used for this study. Animals were managed semi-intensively where they were arranged into pasture lands during day time with concentrate supplementation. Selection was based on bucks which were done once in a year using indexed estimated breeding value of yearling weight and their respective dam milk yield performances. Top-ranked bucks selected from the flock were used as replacements at the nucleus while the surplus bucks disseminated to nearby villages. The general linear model procedure of SAS software (version 9.0) was employed to evaluate the body weight and milk yield of the breed during the last five years (2016-2020). The overall birth-, three month-, six month-, nine month- and yearling weights were 1.98, 6.5, 8.6, 11.4, and 13.8 kg, respectively. The overall lactation milk yield, average daily milk yield and lactation length were 17.64 kg, 0.30 kg and 8.45 weeks, respectively. Within the last five consecutive selection years birth weight has increased from 1.64±0.04 to 2.3±0.02 kg, weaning weight from 5.6±0.25 to 7.5±0.15kg, and yearling weight from 13±0.43 to 15.2±0.27kg. All the fixed effects of birth type, parity, season and year of birth had significantly affected the birth weight. The pre-weaning and post-weaning body weights of kids were affected by the selection year. Wet season birth was important for increasing milk production and lactation length. Nucleus flocks in station the growth traits and milk traits can be improved by selection and selection at the station at once a year. The Selection of breeding bucks should be at age of six month. The station should be stopping the inlet of does from the market.
Keywords
Nucleus; Selection; Dissemination; Partial open; Abergelle goat
Introduction
The goat population of Ethiopia was estimated to be52.4 million [1]. Goats in Ethiopia make an important contribution to the poor household in particular and the national economy in general. Goats in Ethiopia are found and distributed in different agro-ecological zones where a large proportion (58%) is found in the lowlands of the country, in large flocks by pastoralists while, 42% of the total are found in the highlands where there is a strong complementary relationship between small ruminant keeping and cropping [2].
Goat production in Ethiopia was low, total annual meat production from small ruminant was 154,000 tons per year [3] and annual milk production in Ethiopia 93,000 metric tons more than Kenya that 91,000 metric tons and less than Sudan 154,400 metric tons [4]. Meat production per animal was 9kg which was less than from Kenya and Sudan 11, 15 kg respectively.
Most research of Abergelle goat breed was conducted on farm and the growth and milk yield performance evaluated by different scholars. The on station study of was single traits and very old like twining rate and mortality rate were 1.3 and 26.7 respectively [5].
The evaluated traits on farm, in five round of selection once a year overall weight mean weight with the base line information birth weight from 1.7kg to 2kg,weaning weight from 7kg to 7.2kg, six month weight from 9.34 to 10.09kg,nine month weight from 12.76 to 13kg, and yearling weight from 15.4kg to the 15.9kg respectively. But in five round of selection that’s selection once a year and birth weight improved from 1.7kg to 2.4kg. at 5th round of selection other growth traits three-month weight, six-month weight, nine- month weight and yearling weight were 8.02kg, 11.26kg, 13.94kg, 16.80kg respectively according to the report of [6]. Other author also evaluated the this breed on farm and found the result for growth traits that was birth weight, weaning weight, nine month weight and yearling weight 2.27, 7.38, 9.39, and 11.2kg respectively [7]. Those authors used three to five year performance data on farm recruited enumerators.
Abergelle goat breeds in area were kept for multifunctional roles but mainly to generate cash [8]. But small household farmers in study area use their animals (goats) for milk and meat consumption. The breed has small birth weight, weaning and post weaning weight. But in milk production the breed has best performance when compared to like woytu guji with the same family.
Abergelle goat breed was one of the rift valleys families, located in the low land of Wag-Himra that’s in Abergelle, Ziqula and Sekota Zuria district and around east Bellessa in Gondor. The breed is also characterized by its long kidding intervals, and high resistance to drought and harsh environment [9]. Farmers in the low land of Wag- Himra use the breed for the purpose of meat and milk production. The breed population size in 2021 in Wag-Himra was 550,000 [1]. Most of Abergelle goat research findings were implemented on farm rather than on station, as result the study was required to implement on station with the following objectives.
Objectives
• To improve the performance of most preferred traits of Abergelle goat breed at station.
• To establish and maintain nucleus flocks of Abergelle goat which serve as pure and improved breeding population.
• To conserve indigenous Abergelle goat breed’s genetic resources.
Material and Methods
Description of the study area
The study was conducted in Sekota Zuria district at Aybra, which are located 120.41´ 11.92´´N and 390.00´58´´E in Wag-Himra administration zone in Amhara region. The study area 17 Km far from Skota town, 447 km and 737 km from the Amhara regional town, Bahir Dar, and Addis Ababa capital city of Ethiopia, respectively. The district has rugged topography characterized by mountains, steep escarpments and deeply incised valleys.
The farming practice of area was mixed crop-livestock production. The annual rainfall of the area was 650 mm with very short and an erratic distribution. The maximum and minimum temperature of the area is 26.6oC and 31.6oC, respectively, and Altitude of 1933 m.a.s.l. The main rainy season in the area starts from late June and to mid-July and ends during late August [10] (Figure 1).
Animal management and recording
All animals for station selection were bought from Abergelle and Ziqula districts when starting the maintenance of the flock in 2016. One enumerator, one hygiene worker and eight (8) goat keepers were recruited, the data collector trained for the data collection and follow up and his roles was to coordinate the breeding program and collect pedigree and performance data of flock. The herding system was strict to control inbreeding and the season of mating. During selection and mating season the station was partially opened, elite breeding bucks leave to community-based breeding program villages and came back to the station. Unselected bucks and bucks that completed their mating service were culled through sales. Mating has been done 1:15 male to female ratio in different herd either of mixing two or three of mating groups, for purpose of reducing the number of goat keepers. After completing their mating season the breeding bucks and doe herd separately.
Data analysis
Descriptive statistics were used to perform simple population characteristics and breeding value estimation. Productive performance data were analyzed using the GLM procedures of SAS software version 9.0. Birth type, kid sex, season of birth, parity, and year of birth were fitted as fixed factors for body weight variables whereas only season of kidding, parity of Dam and year of kidding were fitted as fixed factors for milk production traits.
Yijklm = μ + Bti + Sj +Sbk +Pl + Ym+eijklm
Where: Yijklm = the observed growth performance of goat by weight mainly at birth weight, weaning weight to yearling weight
μ = overall mean
Bti = is the effect of ith birth type (Single, twin, and triplet)
Sj = is the effect of jth sex (male and female)
Sbk = is the effect of kth birth season (wet, and dry)
Pl = is the effect of lth parity (1, 2, 3, …, 6)
Ym= is the effect of the mth year (2016, 2017, …, 2020)
eijklm = is random residual error For milk parameters
Yijk = μ + Sbi + Pj+Yk + eijkl
Where: Yijkl the observed milk yield
μ = overall mean
Sbi = is the effect of ith birth season (wet and dry)
Pj= is the effect of jth parity (1-6)
Yk= is the effect of kth year (2016-2020)
Al= is the effect of Lth age of dam (1-6)
eijkl = is random residual error
Result and Discussion
The overall least square mean birth weight of kids was 1.98 kg (Table 1). This result was similar to value reported for the same breed by [2] in farmer management practice 1.91kg, and also the result was highly similar to the report of the same breed by [6] in CBBP villages in Aberegelle districts of Saziba village was 2.0 kg.
The birth weight had positive association with weaning weight. The overall weaning weight and post weaning weight 6.5kg, 8.6kg, 11.4 kg and 13.8kg respectively.
The fixed effects of parity, birth type, sex and season of birth had a significant effect on birth weight. The heaver the birth weight the late parities result from the physiological imprint in the uterus during the first pregnancy will facilitate relatively greater foetus growth in subsequent pregnancies [11]. Birth type show significant effects on birth weight, kids were born single higher birth weight than those kids were born as twins (Table 1). This difference may be due to the feeding and good mother ability of the does for their kids.
| Sex | Traits | Percentage (%) |
| Female | Milk Yield | 20.47 |
| Drought resistance | 14.96 | |
| Body size | ||
| Kid growth | 14.17 | |
| Twining | 11.81 | |
| Kidding Interval | 10.24 | |
| Other cumulative traits | ||
| 19.45 | ||
| 18.9 | ||
| Male | Body size | 21.03 |
| Color | 23.86 | |
| Body conformation | 10.12 | |
| Height 9.09 | 9.09 | |
| Fast growth | 7.95 | |
| Other cumulative traits | 27.95 |
Males, single-born kids and those born during the wet season had significantly higher birth weight than females, twin born kids and dry season born ones. Male in nature had high performance and feeding nourished in uterus of does than females. During the wet season, follicular growth could be supported by available forage. Weight increments in different ages Birth weight (Bwt), three-month weight (Tmwt), six-month weight (Smwt), nine month weight (Nmwt) and yearling weight (Ywt) in the respective years were the positively affected. This was the effect of selection, control of inbreeding and the feeding management of the flock with some limitations. The management of the flocks, feeding system at station opposes the natural feeding behavior of the animals. Goats at station were supplemented concentrated feed throughout the year and enforced to sustain browsing on degraded areas. The result of the study in same breed was highly different from the reports of [6], 7.2, 10.1, 13.0 and 15.9 kg for, weaning, six-month, nine-month and yearling weight and similar to the reports of [2] which were, 6.84, 9.13, 14.25 Kg weaning weight, six month, yearling weight and respectively. Sex had no show the significant effect on weaning and six month weight. This is due to the shocking on weaning age which mean by stop suckling of milk.
The weaning, six month and the yearling weight were not significantly affected by parity of the doe but doe’s with earlier and higher parity had a potential of giving higher birth weight kids. In first parity does compared with older doe’s that have reached physiological maturity. It was in agreement with some other studies and the results of [2]. Birth weight (Bwt) improvement had a positive association with weaning weight (Wwt) but birth weight had no significant effects on post weaning weight as a result birth weight improvement was not more important in any other growth traits except weaning weight. As shows below in table.2 Pearson correlations birth weight had no positive relation with post-partum weight, six month weight, nine month weight and yearling weight, but the weaning weight, with six month weight, weaning weight nine month weight and weaning weight with yearling weight positive correlation and also six month weight with nine month weight and nine month weight with yearling weight had positive association. This result similar to the report of [12]. Pearson correlation “r” between birth weight (BWT) & six month weight (6MW), BWT & nine month weight (9MW), three month weight (3MW) & 6MW & 3MW & 9MW).But this study had little contradiction [12] to Kidding interval, litter size and age at first kidding of the flock was 13.2 months1.09 and 15.4 months this result was almost the same with the results of [13] 12.4 months, 1.04 and 15.5 months. Twining rate was only12.7 % in the intervened population of goats. Some of the flocks were ejected enzaprost for the purpose AI and the hormone facilities the supper ovulation and higher probability twin birth Table 1. List of preferred traits by farmers (own flock ranking method for females and group animal ranking for males), adopted from [13] (Table 1).
The most preferred trait for doe’s were milk yield, good mothering ability and strong feeding behavior (drought resistance) in the existing extreme eroded and undulating areas While farmers had given more priority for color, body conformation and body size traits to select their breeding bucks.
The most preferred trait improve on the station was the growth performance and milk yield and color traits. Aberegelle goat breed had low annual predicted genetic gain compared to the western low land goat breed and center high goat breeds [12].These variations were due to higher phenotypic variation of the traits, lower generation interval and better performance (such as high twinning rate) of Western Lowland goats. The Abergelle goat breed had no high variation on phonotypic traits, low generation intervals, low in twining rate (Figure 1, 2) (Table 2-4).
Variables |
N | BWT LSM±SE |
N | TMWT LSM±SE |
N | SMWT LSM±SE |
N | NMWT LSM±SE |
N | YWT LSM±SE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 516 | 1.98 | 492 | 6.5 | 474 | 8.6 | 459 | 11.4 | 429 | 13.8 |
| CV% | 20.2 | 23 | 19.2 | 16.8 | 15.3 | |||||
| Sex | * | Ns | Ns | *** | ** | |||||
| Male | 254 | 2.01±0.028a | 245 | 6.6±0.10a | 231 | 8.6±028a | 223 | 11.8±0.43a | 205 | 14.2±0.19a |
| Female | 262 | 1.81 ±0.068a | 247 | 6.4±0.10a | 243 | 8.4±0.12a | 236 | 11±0.151b | 224 | 13.6±0.31b |
| Birth type | *** | Ns | ** | Ns | *** | |||||
| Single | 450 | 2.04±0.88a | 427 | 6.5±0.08a | 410 | 8.5±0.09a | 399 | 11.4±0.25a | 374 | 14.3±0.23a |
| Twin | 66 | 1.62±0.46b | 65 | 6.53±0.18a | 64 | 9.4±0.26b | 60 | 11.5±0.30a | 55 | 13.2±0.26b |
| Season | * | ns | * | ns | Ns | |||||
| Wet | 466 | 2.0±0.04a | 445 | 6.5±0.08a | 429 | 8.5±0.09b | 421 | 11.4±0.24 | 394 | 13.9±0.14 |
| Dry | 50 | 1.8±0.06b | 47 | 6.3±0.19a | 45 | 9.2±0.27a | 38 | 11.2±0.42 | 35 | 13.6±0.35 |
| Year | *** | ** | *** | ** | ** | |||||
| 2016 | 48 | 1.64±0.04d | 40 | 5.6±0.25c | 38 | 8.1±0.39c | 36 | 12.3±0.35a | 37 | 13±0.43d |
| 2017 | 67 | 1.37±0.03c | 58 | 6.4±0.19b | 57 | 7.3±0.23d | 53 | 10.6±0.31c | 50 | 13.3±0.29c |
| 2018 | 82 | 1.94±0.05b | 80 | 6.6±0.16b | 75 | 7.3±0.23d | 74 | 12.1±1.24a | 68 | 13.8±0.22b |
| 2019 | 175 | 2.1±0.09b | 175 | 6±0.105b | 161 | 9.1±0.16b | 150 | 11.2±0.20b | 128 | 13.8±0.24b |
| 2020 | 133 | 2.3±0.02a | 123 | 7.5 ±0.15a | 118 | 9.8±0.10a | 110 | 12.5±0.23a | 94 | 15.2±0.27a |
| Parity | ** | ns | ns | ** | * | |||||
| 1 | 118 | 1.88±0.14c | 115 | 6.2±0.17 | 111 | 8.8±0.20 | 103 | 11.6±0.24b | 96 | 14.4±0.30a |
| 2 | 96 | 1.89±0.04c | 91 | 6.39±0.15 | 86 | 8.5±0.18 | 86 | 12.5±1.08a | 79 | 14.2±0.31a |
| 3 | 75 | 1.94±0.05b | 68 | 6.49±0.20 | 66 | 8.1±0.21 | 64 | 10.9±0.28c | 69 | 13.4±0.34b |
| 4 | 79 | 1.97±0.05b | 77 | 6.50±0.18 | 76 | 8.6±0.18 | 73 | 10.8±0.26c | 70 | 13.6±0.33b |
| 5 | 78 | 2.0±0.05a | 76 | 6.7±0.17 | 72 | 8.7±0.25 | 70 | 10.9±0.27c | 67 | 13.4±0.32b |
| >6 | 54 | 2.1±0.05a | 63 | 6.7±0.24 | 61 | 8.9±0.25 | 60 | 11.5±0.32b | 47 | 13.6±0.39b |
| Where BWT=birth weight, TMWT=three month weight, SMWT=six month weight, NMWT=nine month weight, YWT= yearling weight, LSM= least square means and SE= standard error, *= p<0.005, ** =p<0.001,***=p<0.0001 | ||||||||||
| Ppwt | BWt | TMWt | SMWt | NMWt | Ywt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ppwt | 1. 000 | |||||
| BWt | -0.04128 | 1.000 | ||||
| TMWt | 0.01033 | 0.19340 | 1. 000 * |
|||
| SMWt | 0.05926 | 0.00019 | 0.34292 | 1. 000 * |
||
| NMWt | 0.04210 | -0.00203 | 0.14088 * |
0.33905 ** |
1. 000 * |
|
| Ywt | -0.00856 | 0.01697 | 0.24278 | 0.50379 | 0.37845 | 1.000 |
| Where: Bwt= birth weight, Tmwt =three month weight, Smwt= sex month weight, Nmwt = nine month weight, Ywt= yearling weight '*'=significantly associated at p<0.05, '**'= significantly associated at p<0.001, ‘***'= significantly associated at p<0.001 | ||||||
Means ±SD of age at first kidding, kidding interval and the litter size |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Traits | N | means (days) | SD |
| Age at first kidding | 104 | 462 | 52 |
| Kidding intervals | 74 | 395 | 51 |
| Litter size | 450 | 1.09 | 0.2 |
Milk production performance
Milk is the most important product consumed by the community in the study area in sekota zuria district and in lowland of wag-himra. Milk data was used as a supportive trait for the selection of best performing breeding bucks that will be parents of the next generation. The Lactation Milk Yield (LMY) Average Daily Milk Yield (ADMY) and Lactation Length (LL) were affected by the fixed factors season, year and parity. LMY, ADMY and LL was significantly affected by the season, doe produce more milk in wet than dry season this due to the availability of forage ,and increase the length of lactation in wet season. Lactation milk yield, average daily milk yield and lactation length was significantly affected by the lactating years.in each consecutive year more of birth naturally synchronized wet season of the year and lactation started in accessibility of forage.
Conclusion and Recommendation
• Body weight of kids and milk yield of doe was increase in four round of selection across years.
• Strong consideration of the fixed factors like birth type, season of birth and parity were become an important concern during Estimation of Breeding Value (EBV).
• Six and nine month weight had better association with yearling weight (r=0.5 and 0.378), respectively which calls for arranging the selection age from six up to nine months which can also allow the chance of maintaining elite kids. Total Milk production and lactation length increased in wet season, producer farmer’s synchronized birth at wet season.
References
- CSA (2021) Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Central Statistical Agency Agricultural Sample Survey 2020/21[ 2013 E.C.]. Volume II Report On. II (March).
- Deribe B, Taye M (2013) Growth performance and carcass characteristics of central highland goats in Sekota District, Ethiopia. Agricultural Advances 2: 250–258.
- Rekik M, Haile A, Mekuriaw Z, Abiebie A, Rischkowsky B, et al. (2016) Review of the reproductive performances of sheep breeds in Ethiopia. Review Paper 6: 117–126.
- Banerjee A, Getachew A, Earmias E (2000) Selection and breeding strategies for increased productivity of goats in Ethiopia. The Opprotunities and Challenges for Enhancing Goat Production in East Africa. Proceedings of a Conference Held at Debub University, Awassa.
- Africa F (1996) Husbandry, Productivity and Producers Trait Preference of Goats in North Western Lowlands of Ethiopia. Open Journal of Animal Sciences 10: 313–335.
- Amare B, Gobeze M, Wondim B (2020) Implementation of Community Based Breeding Program to Improve Growth Rate and Milk Production Performance of Abergelle Goat. Online Journal of Animal and Feed Research.
- Minister B (2018) Performance evaluation of Abergelle goat under community based breeding program in selected districts, Northern Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 30.
- Abegaz S, Sölkner J, Gizaw S, Dessie T, Haile A, et al. (2013) Description of production systems and morphological characteristics of Abergelle and Western lowland goat breeds in Ethiopia: implication for community-based breeding programmes. Animal Genetic Resources/Ressources Génétiques Animales/Recursos Genéticos Animales 53: 69–78.
- Solomon A (2014) Design of community based breeding programs for two indigenous goat breeds of Ethiopia Design of community based breeding programs for two indigenous goat breeds of Ethiopia Co-supervisors.
- Taye M, Deribe B, Melekot MH (2013) Reproductive Performance of central highland goat under tradational managment in sekota district, Ethiopia. Asian Journal of Biological Sciences.
- Gardner DS, Buttery PJ, Symonds ME (2007) Factors affecting birth weight in sheep: Maternal environment. Reproduction 133: 297-307.
- Jembere T, Haile A, Dessie T, Kebede K, Okeyo AM, et al. (2020) Productivity of Abergelle, Central Highland and Woyto-Guji goat breeds in Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 32: 1-16.
- Abegaz S, Sölkner J, Gizaw S, Dessie T, Haile A, et al. (2014) Optimizing alternative schemes of community-based breeding programs for two Ethiopian goat breeds. 18: 47–55.
Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at
Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at
Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at
Google Scholar, Crossref, Indexed at
Citation: Walle Y, Demile A, Limeneh T (2023) Selection Progress on Growth and Milk Production Performance of Indigenous Abergelle Goat Breed under on Station Condition in Wag-Himra, Ethiopia. J Fisheries Livest Prod 11: 407. DOI: 10.4172/2332-2608.1000407
Copyright: © 2023 Walle Y. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Share This Article
Recommended Conferences
Recommended Journals
Open Access Journals
Article Tools
Article Usage
- Total views: 1199
- [From(publication date): 0-2023 - Nov 21, 2024]
- Breakdown by view type
- HTML page views: 1112
- PDF downloads: 87
