Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances

Year: 2006
Volume: 5
Issue: 11
Page No. 959 - 963

The Performance of Borno White Goat in Agropastoral Management of Semi-Arid North East Nigeria

Authors : I.D. Mohammed , B.A. Abdullahi and I.A. Adeyinka

Abstract: A study was conducted in semi-arid north east Nigeria between 1995 and 1998 through monthly visits to 950 grazing units of agropastoral goats distributed in three study locations of Jakusko, Dapchi and Jajimaji on performance of Borno white goat breed. Using mature Borno white does events such as births, pre and post weaning mortalities, milk production, growth at (1, 3 and 6 months), linear body measurements, age at first kidding, kidding interval were all recorded or calculated and analysed using the general linear model involving 324 kiddings. The Borno white goat recorded 1.94 kg and 1.92 kg birth weight; 4.82 kg and 4.73 kg (1 month); 8.24 kg and 8.09 kg (3 months) and 12.69 kg and 13.44 kg (6 months) and 2115 kg and 23.25 kg (mature) body weights for males and females respectively. Milk production and composition was 147.50 mL day 1; total solids 10.47, 4.52% protein, 4.59% fat, 5.89% solid non fat, 0.92% calcium, 0.52% phosphorus. Adult percent mortalities were 26.75% and 23.25% for males and females; while percent kid mortalities were 27.59, 26.64,and 25.00% for singles, twins and triplets, respectively. Age at first kidding, kidding interval (days) and litter size were 350.25, 251.92 and 2.04 respectively. Percent frequency of births as singles, twins and triplets were 30.74%, 64.66 and 4.59% respectively. Body weights for males and females were 4.50 kg and 3.49 kg (1 month); 8.80 kg and 9.30 kg (3 months) and 13.70 kg and 13.30 kg (6 months) of age respectively. Linear body measurements for males and females for height at withers (HAW) were 36.75 cm and 33.45 cm (1 month); 42.70 cm and 40.50 cm (3 months); and 46.61 cm and 48.40 cm (6 months) respectively. Heart girth (HG) values were 35.52 cm and 32.37 cm (1 month); 40.76 cm and 37.93 cm (3 months) and 46.20 cm and 43.33 cm (6 months) of age; while Body Length (BL) were 45.57 cm and 41.80 cm (1 month); 53.85 cm and 51.61 cm (3 months) and 61.60 cm and 60.02 cm (6 months) of age respectively. Mature linear body measurements for males and females were 61.43 cm and 65.73 cm heat girth; 55.70 cm and 50.25 cm body length and 59.75 cm and 61.35 cm height at withers, respectively. Results were all different (p<0.05) with males recording higher values than females in all parameters at the same age. Productivity index (kg/doe/year) for the Borno white goat was 18.72; while prediction equation for mature body weight was LW = - 12.64 + 0.148 (HG) + 0.195 (BL) + 0.051 (HAW). The productivity and reproductive traits of the agropastoral Borno white goat of semi-arid north east Nigeria are of great prospects for use in the near future; thus the genetic resource of the breed should be conserved.

How to cite this article:

I.D. Mohammed , B.A. Abdullahi and I.A. Adeyinka , 2006. The Performance of Borno White Goat in Agropastoral Management of Semi-Arid North East Nigeria. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 959-963.

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