Factors affecting growth traits in Marwari goat

Abstract

Data on body weight of 558 Marwari kids maintained at Western Regional Research Centre, Avikanagar (Rajasthan)
of CIRG, for 1986 to 1994 were utilized. The overallieast-squal'es means of body weight at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month
were 3.05±0.05, 11.35±0.17, 14.94±0.21 and 23.19±0.18 kg respectively. Least- squares analysis of variance showed
significant effect of sire, season and year of birth, sex, type of birth and dam's weight of kidding on bodyweight at different ages. Spring-born kids showed higher birth weight than those born in autumn. Males were significantly heavier than their counter parts at birth, 3 and 6 month of age. Heritability for 6 and 9 month body weight (0.251±0.1 16 and 0.266±0.119) were moderate indicating existence of additive genetic variance in these trait. The positive and high genetic and phenotypic correlations of 3 and 6 month body weights with each other and with 12 months weights indicated that selection of kids may be done on the basis of 3 or 6 months body weights to obtain higher weights at later ages.