Estimates of environmental effects and some genetic parameters for weaning weight and fleece weights of young Angora goats

G.B. Nicoll

Department of Lands and Survey, Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1985, 45: 217-220

The weaning weights of kids out of dams aged 3, 4, 5 and 6+ years of age were heavier (P<0.001) than those out of 2-year-old dams by 1.9, 2.2, 2.0 and 2.5 kg respectively. Corresponding differences for 6-month fleece weight of kids were 0.05, 0.05, 0.04 and 0.04 kg (P<0.01) but those for 12-month fleece weight were not significant. Males were heavier at weaning than females (1.6 kg, P<0.001) and also had heavier 6-, 12-month and yearling fleece weights (0.08, 0.10 and 0.18 kg respectively; P<0.001). Single-reared animals had significantly heavier weaning weights and 6-month and yearling fleece weights than multiple- reared animals (2.4, 0.09 and 0.11 kg, respectively). Age was a highly significant source of variation for all traits.

The heritabilities of weaning weight, and 6-, 12-month and yearling fleece weights were respectively 0.28, 0.23, 0.40 and 0.53. Genetic correlations between weaning weight and 6-, 12-month and yearling fleece weights were respectively 0.0, 0.38 and 0.24. Corresponding phenotypic correlations were 0.58, 0.28 and 0.44.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Angora goats; environmental effects; heritabilities; genetic and phenotypic correlations; weaning weight; fleece weights