MORPHOLOGICAL INDICES OF THREE INDIGENOUS BREEDS OF GOATS IN CALABAR SOUTH LGA, CROSS RIVER STATE

Abstract

A study on morphological indices was carried out on three indigenous breeds of goat. A total of 60 goats comprising twenty each of west African dwarf goats (WAD), Red Maradi and Sahel goats. The ages of the goats used in the experimental study was between one and halve to two years. Identification was done using their dentition. Healthy animals [males and females] were used for the experiment. The morphological and phenotypic traits measured in this study were body weight (BW), body length (BL), height at wither (HW), rump length (RL), rump width (RW), head length (HDL), head width (HDW), cannon circumference (CC), hind legs (HL), fronts legs (FL) and heart girth (HG). Morphological indices were calculated for length index (LI), pelvic index (PI), body index (BI), proportionality (IPr), thoracic development (TD), baron crevet (BC), compact index (CI1), area index (AI), and relative cannon thickness index (RCTI). The data obtained were analysed using SPSS statistical package, significant means were compared using Duncan’s multiple range test. The result revealed that Sahel and Red Maradi had longer area index than West African dwarf. West African Dwarf goats showed higher values for LI (0.98), TD (1.18), BC (2.35), CI1 (4.59) and RCTI (15.25) while Sahel had highest value for proportionality (IPr). The genetic potentials of these goat breeds can be exploited for milk and meat purpose which they are basically used for by goat farmers.