individual members based on mapped rotation modality by considering the grazing management of flocks,
settlement and previous mating history. After completion of a single breeding season bucks were rotated to other
farmers by considering the pre-set conditions and finally at the end of service period, they fattened at the cooperative for
income generation.
Data analysis
Descriptive statistics were used to perform simple population characteristics. Own flock ranking and group ranking
methods described by Solomon (2014) was used to identify the breeding objectives. Production and reproduction
performance (quantitative) data were analyzed using the GLM procedures of SAS software. Birth type, sex, season of birth,
parity and year were fitted as fixed factors for body weight variables whereas season of birth, parity and year were fitted
for milk production traits. Least square mean with respective standard error was separated using Tukey-Kramer
test. The following models for body weight and milk yield variables with the fixed effects were fitted.
Yijkl =µ + Bti + Sj +Sbk +P l + Ym+eijklm
Where:
Yijlm = the observed growth performance of goat by
weight mainly at six month to yearling weight
µ = overall mean
Yijk= µ + Sbi + Pj+Yk + eijk
Where:
Yijkl = the observed milk yield
µ = overall mean
Bti= is the effect of ith birth type (Single and twin)
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 (first to ninth)
Ym= is the effect of the mth year (2014-2017)
eijklm= is random residual error
Sbi = is the effect of ith birth season (wet and dry)
Pj = is the effect of jth parity (1-9))
Yk = is the effect of kth season (2014-2017)
eijk = is random residual error
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Breeding objectives and trait selection criteria of farmers
The primary objective of keeping goats in the study area was to use them as an immediate source of cash income
and diverse livestock products that sustain the livelihoods of the community due to frequent crop production failure. The
most preferred trait for doe’s in the community were milk yield, good mothering ability and strong feeding behavior
(drought resistance) in the existing extreme eroded and undulating areas. And for males, farmers had given more priority
for color, body conformation and body size trait. The result is illustrated in Table 1.
Population structure, flock size and off take rates
The preliminary survey result of this study revealed that the flock size of goats per house hold (mean ± SD) was
47.75±29. Based on sex 27% of the populations are males and 73% are females. Reproductive doe’s constitute
the larger number (48%) in the flock because of farmers demand on increased number of offspring's. The results of this
respectively. Lower number in this study was due to smaller number of household data used in comparison to them.
Death, sale, share and slaughtering (Figure 1) were the major off take reasons in the monitored flock and the
overall off take rate was higher at yearling weight and around. This is because during this stage more goats were brought
to the market, consumed at household level during festivities and shared to herders. Population structure (mean ± SD)
with in each age class and percentage contribution is presented in Table 2.
Milk Production
Milk is the most important product consumed by all households. Milk production performance during the selection
period presented in (Table 3) was significantly different (p<0.0001) between years. It was significantly varied during each
year in a decreasing fashion. The mean average daily milk yield (±SD) was 338.8±210 ml. Doe’s that have given birth
during wet seasons were produced higher amount of milk and longer lactation lengths because of the availability of feed
was good in this season. The reasons for milk production decline in each year were related to; first, there was higher
variability of lactation lengths in each year due to scarcity of feed and longer dry season that could not supported milk
production in the recent two years. Second, flock mobility and dynamics were the most critical problems during the peak
periods of lactations since farmers obliged to migrate their flocks to distant areas in search of feed for their animals in
the long dry seasons and this resulted in improper implementation and data recording during these periods.
Growth performance
Growth performance was the most single important trait that farmers experienced to select their next parent stock
conventionally. All growth traits (birth weight, weaning weight, six month weight, nine month weight and yearling weight)
described in Table 3 and Table 4 was significantly affected by year during the course of selection period. The overall mean
of weight at birth, three months, six months nine months and twelve months were 2.0±0.04 kg, 7.2±0.17 kg, 10.1±0.25
kg, 13.0±0.24 kg and 15.9±0.4 kg, respectively. Sex was not significantly affected by pre weaning and post weaning
weights except at six months of age. Birth type had a significant effect up on the weaning ages and then after it was not
affected. This could be due to the dependence of kids on their dams during their earlier ages and after their weaning the
199
Citation: Amare B, Gobeze M and Wondim B (2020). Implementation of community based breeding program to improve growth rate and milk production performance of
abergelle goat. Online J. Anim. Feed Res., 10(5): 197-202.