<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Genetic improvement of goat breeds in growth and other traits (e.g. milk production) is limited by the demographics of the goat herds, extensive production system and the seemingly long-term nature of improvement through traditional genetics and breeding methods. We studied the genetic morphometry in Nigerian goats and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds. A total of 192 goats belonging to three Nigerian breeds (Red Sokoto (RS), Sahel (SH) and West African Dwarf (WAD)) and one South African Kalahari Red (KR) goat breed were analysed. Animals were classified into four age groups: A group – less than 1 year, B group – between 1 and 2 years, C group – between 2 and 3 years and C group – older than 3 years based on dentition. Analysis of variance, correlation matrix, regression and discriminant analyses were used to evaluate morphological variability. Results revealed that the effect of breed on the measured morphometric traits was significant (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). The best prediction equation for body weight (BW) with R<sup>2</sup> = 0.84 was obtained when body length (BL), withers height (WH) and chest depth (CD) were included in the model for KR goat. Growth traits were positively correlated with each other with the highest correlation coefficients found between BL and BW (r = 0.877, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01), WH and BW (r = 0.541, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01), WH and BW (0.661, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01) and CD and BW (0.738, <italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.01) in KR, RS, SH and WAD goats, respectively, which are important for a conscious selection and breeding programme for desired traits. Stepwise discriminant procedure showed that WH, CD and BL were the most discriminating variables to separate KR, RS, SH and WAD goats. In accessing morphological diversity, efforts should be made to include phenotypic variables of at least ≥ 3 in order to minimize ambiguity in classification. Based on the pair-wise distances from the Discriminant function, the study provided informed decision, reference information on goat breeding and conservation strategy.</p></abstract>

Genetic improvement of goat breeds in growth and other traits (e.g. milk production) is limited by the demographics of the goat herds, extensive production system and the seemingly long-term nature of improvement through traditional genetics and breeding methods. We studied the genetic morphometry in Nigerian goats and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds. A total of 192 goats belonging to three Nigerian breeds (Red Sokoto (RS), Sahel (SH) and West African Dwarf (WAD)) and one South African Kalahari Red (KR) goat breed were analysed. Animals were classified into four age groups: A group – less than 1 year, B group – between 1 and 2 years, C group – between 2 and 3 years and C group – older than 3 years based on dentition. Analysis of variance, correlation matrix, regression and discriminant analyses were used to evaluate morphological variability. Results revealed that the effect of breed on the measured morphometric traits was significant (P < 0.05). The best prediction equation for body weight (BW) with R2 = 0.84 was obtained when body length (BL), withers height (WH) and chest depth (CD) were included in the model for KR goat. Growth traits were positively correlated with each other with the highest correlation coefficients found between BL and BW (r = 0.877, P < 0.01), WH and BW (r = 0.541, P < 0.01), WH and BW (0.661, P < 0.01) and CD and BW (0.738, P < 0.01) in KR, RS, SH and WAD goats, respectively, which are important for a conscious selection and breeding programme for desired traits. Stepwise discriminant procedure showed that WH, CD and BL were the most discriminating variables to separate KR, RS, SH and WAD goats. In accessing morphological diversity, efforts should be made to include phenotypic variables of at least ≥ 3 in order to minimize ambiguity in classification. Based on the pair-wise distances from the Discriminant function, the study provided informed decision, reference information on goat breeding and conservation strategy.

Genetic morphometry in Nigerian and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds

Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Department of Animal Science

Disciple of Genetics, School of Life Sciences

Department of Animal Production and Health

Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research

State Key Laboratory for Genetic Resources and Evolution

Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming Institute of Zoology

Agricultura Tropica et Subtropica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

{"article-title":"Genetic morphometry in Nigerian and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds"}

Genetic improvement of goat breeds in growth and other traits (e.g. milk production) is limited by the demographics of the goat herds, extensive production...

Genetic morphometry in Nigerian and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds

Online veröffentlicht: 09. Aug. 2018

Seitenbereich: 51 - 61

Eingereicht: 12. Okt. 2017

Akzeptiert: 25. Mai 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2018-0006

Schlüsselwörter
Discriminant analysis, genetic, goat, morphology, Nigeria, South Africa

© 2018 Muyideen Timothy Sanni et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Genetic morphometry in Nigerian and South African Kalahari Red goat breeds

Online veröffentlicht: 09. Aug. 2018

Seitenbereich: 51 - 61

Eingereicht: 12. Okt. 2017

Akzeptiert: 25. Mai 2018

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ats-2018-0006

SchlüsselwörterDiscriminant analysis, genetic, goat, morphology, Nigeria, South Africa

© 2018 Muyideen Timothy Sanni et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Schlüsselwörter
Discriminant analysis, genetic, goat, morphology, Nigeria, South Africa