Performance of the Woyto-Guji Goats under Traditional Management Systems in Konso District, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was conducted at lowland part of Konso district to evaluate the performance of Woyto-Guji goat breed managed under traditional management systems. Data on growth performance was collected from 398 kids for two years. The mean values for birth, weaning, six month, nine month and yearling weight of kids obtained were 2.15±0.50, 9.32±2.28, 13.32±1.59, 15.89±2.94 and 18.89±2.86 Kg, respectively. Sex of does, birth type, color type, birth season and parity of kids significantly affected at all ages considered. Male kids were heavier at birth, nine months and yearling weight than females while twin born kids were lighter at all levels of age categories than their single born kids counterparts. Kids born during dry seasons were lighter in body weight from weaning up to yearling weight while white colored kids showed lighter body weight than black and brown colored ones at nine month and yearling weights. Kids from first parity does were lighter at birth of age than kids of higher parity does.   The means of pre and post-weaning growth rates obtained were 62.32±24.67 and 28.72±9.79 g day^-1, respectively. Sex of does, birth type, color type, birth season and parity of kids significantly affected pre-weaning growth rate. Kids from males, twins, blacks, dry season and second parity were lighter in pre-weaning weight gain. The kidding distribution is affected by seasons. Kids were delivered most frequently from November- January and June-August. The liter size of the study goat breed is 1.13. The significant effect of fixed factors and breeding seasons should be considered for the improvement of the goat productivity in the study areas.

Keywords: Woyto-Guji goat, body weight, growth rate, Konso, traditional management