Correlation Between Udder Traits With Breed, Live Weight, Age and Parity in Respect to Milk Production of Indigenous Goats in Adamawa State, North-eastern Nigeria

Abstract

The objective of the study is to correlate between udder traits with breed, live weight, age and parity in respect to milk production of indigenous goats in Adamawa State, North-Eastern Nigeria. Thirteen households were randomly selected for the study from which 55 semi-intensively managed indigenous goats comprising of 13 Sahel, 20 Sokoto Red and 22 Non-descript Does within the age limits of 1, 2, 3 and 4 years and parities of 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Age, parity, live weight (Lwt) and udder parameters, like: teat floor (TF), teat angle (TA), udder length (UL), udder volume (UV) and teat length (TL) were measured. The Sahel does have higher values of Lwt, TF, TA, UL, UV, and TL respectively. The three breeds did not differ significantly in TA. The difference between Sokoto Red and Non-descriptive goat was only in TF distances. Sokoto Red goats had significantly higher (P < 0.05) value of TF than Non-descript goats. All other udder traits increased numerically with advance in age except for TA. There was a significant (P < 0.05) effect of parity on Lwt, TF, and UV. The values of all the parameters measured increased with increase in parity, except TA that was highest in does in their first parity. There was significant (P < 0.01) age x breed interaction effect on all parameters investigated except TA. The Sahel does exhibited higher superiority in all the parameters measured over other breeds at various ages except in does aged ≥ 4 years. The Sahel does across all age groups compared with the other two breeds have the highest values of TF, TL UL and UV. The results of breed x age and breed x parity interactions showed significant effect only in TF distances which is an indication of growth in relation to skeletal development among all the breeds and in some age and parity groups. Lwt has high relationship with TF, TL, UV, age and parity. Similarly, parity had high relationship with all the parameters except for breed and UL. The values of udder traits of Sahel goats were higher (P < 0.05) than other breeds which may be due to superiority of the Sahel goats for milk production. Hence, it could be concluded that Sahel goat could have better milk production potentials than Red Sokoto and Non-descriptive goats in in this north-eastern Nigeria. This could form a basis for selection and breeding decision for milk production.