Comparative Growth and Production Performance Evaluation of Indigenous Begait and Abergelle Goat Breed under Farmer’s Management Practice in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was carried out in Tanqua Abergelle District to evaluate the growth and production performance of Begait and Abergelle goat breeds and their F1 kids managed under traditional management practice. Data on kids' growth performance and survival rate and milk production were collected from 48 Begait kids, 45 Abergelle kids, 40 Begait dams and 37 Abergelle dams respectively for one year. A total of 40 dams and 20 buck of Begait goat breeds were distributed for 20 beneficiaries for evaluation of the Begait goat breed in comparison of Abergelle goat breed. Housing, feeding and health care were thoroughly attended. Begait kids had highly significant heavier weight (p<0.0001) at birth (3.0kg+0.07), three months (9.75kg+0.56) six months (15.75kg+0.58) and nine months(21.12kg+0.48), than Abergelle kids body weight at birth (2.16kg+0.04), three months (8.22kg+0.47), six months (11.8kg+0.49) and nine months (13.98kg+0.54) respectively. Similarly Begait kids were highly significant (p<0.001) weight gained at six months (66.61g+2.12) and nine months (59.72g+5.12) than Abergelle kids weight gained at six months(39.72g+4.47) and nine months(24.17g+3.10) respectively. But not significance difference (p<0.05) on three months weight gain (75.06g+6.08, 67.33g+5.32) respectively. The average milk yield per day of the Begait dam were 0.75 liter, whereas average milk production of Abergelle dams were 0.32litter. Besides to this the average number of Begait kids  born per breeding female was 1.2 of the total births, 90% were single births and 10% was twin births. Generally, Begait F1 kids had high growth rates (range 59.72 to 75.06g per day). As a result of this the community of Tanqua-Abergelle district had a positive attitude towards the Begait goat breed due to their good growth and reproductive performance. So that scaling up this technology has to be strengthened to enhance farmers benefit from Begait goat breed.

Keywords: body weight, reproductive performance, milk yield, management practices, survivability rate