EFFECT OF SEX, WATTLE, BEARD, HAIR TYPE AND EXTRA TEAT ON GROWTHRELATED TRAITS OF EXTENSIVELY MANAGED GOAT (Capra aegagrus) POPULATION OF NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

A study that evaluated the effect of sex, wattle, beard, hair type and extra teat on growth traits of goats extensively managed in the three Senatorial zones ( i.e zones A, B and C) of Niger state was carried out. The growth traits evaluated include body weight, body length, height-at-withers, chest depth, chest girth, head length, head width, rump length, rump width, shin circumference, fore leg length and hind leg length. Male goats had better (p<0.05) measurement in all parameters considered in zone B of the state while the females were better (p<0.05) in all parameters measured in zones A and C except for shin circumference in which the males were better in zone A. Goats without wattle showed superiority (p<0.05) in most of the parameters measured in zone C. This was not so for goats in zones A and B as there was no clear demarcation between goats with or without wattle. Goats with beard were superior(p<0.05) in most of the parameters measured in zones B and C. Coarse hair type had significant (p<0.05) effect on body weight and all the other body measurements except for height-at-withers which was not significantly (p>0.05) affected. Soft hair had significant (p<0.05) effect on body weight, and all the body measurements except for hind leg length which showed no significant (p>0.05) difference. Extra teat had no significant (p>0.05) effect on body weight, body length height-at-withers, chest depth, chest girth, head length, rump width, shin circumference and hind leg length but significantly (p<0.05) influenced head width, rump length and fore leg length. Absence of extra teat had significant (p<0.05) effect on all the parameters measured except for head length which showed no significant (p>0.05) difference. At the end of the study, it was observed that sex and major genes had significant effect on most of the parameters measured. It is recommended based on the result emanating from the study that farmers be encouraged to rear goats with beard, those without extra teat and wattle since they were better in most of the parameters measured.