Morphological characterization of indigenous goats in Western Ethiopia: implication for community-based breeding programmes

Abstract

Summary: An exploratory field survey was conducted in Horro Guduru Wollega Zone, Ethiopia, to phenotypically characterize indigenous goats. Eight qualitative and fifteen quantitative traits from 612 goats were considered. All data were analysed using SAS 9.2, version 2008. The dominant coat colour types in Guduru district were black (35.29 percent), whereas in Amuru district, the dominant coat colour types were white and brown with brown dominant (18.63 percent) and brown (17.65 percent). In Horro district, the dominant coat colour types were grey (21.57 percent) and black and white with black dominant (15.69 percent). Morphometric measurements (body weight (BW), heart girth and body length) indicated that the Amuru and Horro goats were significantly (P< 0.05) higher than the Guduru goats. Male goats were consistently higher than female goats in all variables except pelvic width (PW). BW could be predicted from the regression equationy= −45.22 + 1.04xfor does andy= −59.71 + 1.25xfor bucks, whereyandxare the BW and the heart girth, respectively. This phenotypic information serves as a basis for designing appropriate conservation and breeding strategies for goats in the study area. However, it should be substantiated with genetic characterization to guide the overall goat breeding and conservation programmes.