Authors : Maximillian Manzi, Theogene Rutagwenda, Noel Kanuya and Paul Chatikobo
Abstract: Phenotypic characterization is a simple, non-invasive and inexpensive technology that can be utilized in mapping out an inventory of characters peculiar to a group of animals. A random sample of 487 non-descript village goats in Bugesera and Nyagatare districts were characterized according to their phenotypic characteristics. Three age categories (Based on dentition) were examined: milk, young and adults. Parameter assessed included face, back and rump profiles, presence of beards and toggles, horn, tail and ear lengths, coat color and pattern, presence of horns, live weight, heart girth, wither height, body and back lengths. Overall, 77.2% of goats sampled had a flat face while 22.8% had concave faces. About >98.4% had flat backs with 1.6% having a hollow back. All the goats in the study had a sloping rump. Only 6% had beards. About 13.5% had toggles averaging 3.4 cm in length. Average horn length varied from 4.3 (±0.2) in the milk category to 8.0 (±0.1) in the mature goats. Horn diameter varied from 3.3 (±0.1) cm in the kids to 8.6 (±0.2) in adults, respectively. The mean tail length ranged from 9.6 (±0.1)-12.0 (±0.1) for the same age categories. Average mean ear length ranged from 10.3 (±0.1)-11.5 (±0.09) (milk-adults). There was no significant difference (p>0.05) from one dentition category to another. The predominant coat color was the uniform multi-colored coat pattern. The mean live weight (kg) recorded were 13.1 (±3.3) (kids), 25.5 (±0.7) (young) and 33.3 (±0.5) (mature goats). Mean heart girth (cm) recorded was 54.4 (±0.5) (milk), 67.0 (±0.5) (young) and 74.0 (±0.4) (mature goats). The results show that goats in the study are predominantly not the East African Small type but rather are an improvement from the typical small East African goats. Implications of the present findings on goat breeding and productivity in Rwanda are discussed.
Maximillian Manzi, Theogene Rutagwenda, Noel Kanuya and Paul Chatikobo, 2011. Phenotypic Characterization of Goats Raised under Traditional Husbandry Systems in Bugesera and Nyagatare Districts of Rwanda. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 3297-3302.