Authors : Grum Gebreyesus, Aynalem Haile and Tadelle Dessie
Abstract: A study was conducted to assess the growth performance of the short-eared Somali goat breed in Eastern Ethiopia and quantify the effect of age and production site on these parameters. The quantitative traits recorded from linear body measurements of the adult female population (≥3PPI) averaged 21.86±2.89 kg, 56.42±3.53 cm, 65.39±3.68 cm, 60.95±2.82 cm, 7.78±1.18 and 13.89±1.04 cm for body weight, body length, chest girth, height at withers, chest width and pelvic width, respectively. The corresponding values for the male population were 24.17±4.75 kg, 57.36±4.53 cm, 66.78±5.97 cm, 63.6±3.83 cm, 7.8±1.33 cm and 13.66±1.52 cm, respectively. Effects of age (dentition group) on body weight and linear measurements was estimated using least square means to assess the growth trend in male and female animals of the population.
Grum Gebreyesus, Aynalem Haile and Tadelle Dessie, 2014. Evaluation of Growth Trends in the Short-Eared Somali Goat Breed of Eastern Ethiopia. Research Journal of Applied Sciences, 9: 224-227.