Genetic Parameters for Growth and Kid Survival of Indigenous Goat under Smallholding System of Burundi.

Manirakiza Josiane,Detilleux Johann,Hatungumukama Gilbert

doi:10.3390/ani10010135

Abstract

Simple SummaryGoats play a key multifunctional role in food security and poverty alleviation for small farmers in many less developed countries. Unfortunately, the productivity level of these goats is low. Among the alternatives proposed to overcome this situation, one is to establish a phenotypic breeding program with the support of community breeding organizations. In this study, genetic parameters were estimated for the growth, conformation, and survival of 1538 young goats raised by small farmers in Burundi organized in farmer field schools. Overall, the results suggest that phenotypic selection of growth and conformation traits would be possible if data recording and animal management were improved. On the other hand, efforts to improve survival should focus on improving the environmental conditions in which kids are raised. The role of community breeding organizations and animal health workers is therefore essential to disseminate breeding techniques and methods that optimize animal production and health.The goal of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the growth, conformation, and survival of goat kids raised in smallholder farming systems in Burundi. To do this, measurements were taken on live weight, thoracic perimeter, length, and height at birth (n = 1538 animals), at 3 months (n = 1270 animals), at 6 months (n = 992 animals), at 9 months (n = 787 animals), and at 12 months (n = 705 animals). Kids were born between 2016 and 2019, from 645 dams and 106 bucks. Three bivariate animal models were used to estimate genetic parameters of body weight and conformation measurements as potential indicators of this weight. According to the measure, heritability was estimated between 15 and 17% and genetic correlations between 65 and 79%. An accelerated failure time animal model was used to estimate the heritability of survival for kids under one year, adjusted for birth weight. Goat survival was significantly prolonged by 0.64 days per kilogram of birth weight. The estimated heritability for this trait was 2%. Overall, these results suggest that a selection program could be implemented to improve animal growth, either directly on weight or indirectly on conformational traits. At the same time, efforts need to be made to improve rearing conditions to increase the survival of kids.

Highlights

Goats play a key multifunctional role in food security and poverty alleviation of smallholder farmers in many less developed countries such as Burundi
The main objective of this study was to obtain Body weight (BW) and ST genetic parameters to confirm whether phenotypic selection of these traits would be possible in smallholding farms regrouped in farmer field school (FFS)
Our BW h2 estimate is within the range (0.09 to 0.47) reported by several authors from BW measured between birth and yearling age in different goat breeds [23,24,25,26]

Summary

Introduction

One reason is that native breeds have been naturally selected to be adapted to their marginal environment, but not to increase their level of performance [3] Another reason is that these goats are considered a source of income for urgent and regular needs, which leads to negative selection by selling fast-growing kids [4]. Given their low level of productivity, it may be feared that native goats will vanish [5] so different genetic interventions aimed at improving their productivity level have been proposed. Genetic improvement is inherently cumulative from one generation to the and this is not the case for animal management

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Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion