Estimates of genetic parameters for economic traits in West African Dwarf goat

Abstract

Records of 848 West African  Dwarf goat kids and 220 kiddings over a period of eight years (1982·1989) were analysed. The records were used to · provide heritability  nd repeatability estimates for litter' size at birth, kidding interval (repeatability estimate  alone) and body weight at birth, weaning, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 1 year of  age. Heritability  estimates of 0.28 ± 0.005, 0.18 ± 0.003, 0.14 ± 0.003, 0.29 ± 0.005, 0.11 ± 0.003 and 0.17 ± 0.004 were obtained for litter size at birth, body weight at birth, and at weaning, 3 months, 6 months, and 9 months of age respectively. Corresponding repeatability estimates were slightly higher than the heritability etimates. However, repeatability estimate of 0.04 ± 0.030 was obtained for kidding interval. Key words:Tropics, heritability, repeatability, WAD goats, body weight, little size, kidding intetval