Determinants of Major Body Morphometric Traits of Khari Goat Kids (Capra hircus L.) in Nawalpur District, Nepal

Abstract

This study was carried out aiming at studying the non-genetic determinants affecting three major body morphological traits of Khari goats in Nawalparasi, Nepal. Body length, wither height and heart girth at the age of birth, weaning, nine months and fifteen months of 1260 kids born from 1005 does were measured and analyzed using fixed effect Least Square Mixed Model and Maximum Likelihood Computer Program (LSMMML PC-2). Significantly different means of body length, wither height and heart girth were between different sub-classes of non-genetic factors compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) computer software. Findings revealed that overall mean wither height of kids ranged from 28.84±0.59 cm at birth to 61.95±1.03 cm at fifteen months, respectively. Similarly, overall mean hearth girth of kids varied from 29.62±0.58 cm at to 65.04±1.17 cm at fifteen months’ age, respectively. Overall mean body length of Khari goat kids was at birth, weaning, nine months and fifteen months’ age was determined 28.09±0.67 cm at birth and reached to 59.96±0.98 cm at fifteen months’ age. Altitude, coat color, kidding season, dam’s parity, dam’s size, sex and birth type of kids were the important sources of variation (p<0.05 to <0.001) with respect to wither height, hearth girth and body length of kids at most of the stages of growth in case Nepalese hill goats. Thus, the results of present study help describe indigenous Khari goat breed using the phenotypic values of morphometric traits such as body length, heart girth and wither height which may be useful to estimate the phenological variations within breed.