Evaluation of Growth Traits of Black Bengal Goats across the Three Agroclimatic Zones of Jharkhand, India
Nandani Kumari *
Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India and BAU & PI-AICRP on Goat, Black Bengal Field Unit, BAU, India.
Madhurendu Kumar Gupta
Department of AGB, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Shailendra Kumar Rajak
Department of Livestock Production and Management, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Dinesh Kumar
Department of Animal Nutrition, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Dileep Kumar Yadav
Department Veterinary Gyneacology and Obstetrics, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Dhawal Kant Yadav
Department of LPM, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Amit Kumar Jha
Department of VAHEE, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Shreeniwas Singh
Department of Veterinary Microbiology, R.C.V.Sc. and A.H., India.
Abhishek Kumar
TVCC, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
Praveen Kumar
Department of Medicine, R.C.V.Sc. and AH, BAU, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The current study was conducted by AICRP on Goat improvement at four clusters in the three agroclimatic zones of Jharkhand namely Tiko (Lohardaga), Palojori (Deoghar), Barabanki (East Singhbum) and Chamguru (Ranchi) during 2023-24. Effect of various factors i.e. Gender, type of birth (Litter size), and agroclimatic zones were seen on growth and reproductive traits. Mean body weight at birth, three months, six months, nine months and twelve months based on the monthly data collected from the four breeding clusters were 1.19±0.04, 5.59±0.14, 7.97±0.11, 10.65±0.12 and 13.02 ±0.12 Kg respectively. Effect of breeding clusters was found to be significant on body weight at all the aforementioned ages. The effect of sex and birth type was not significant on body weight at all ages, although male weighed heavier than female and twins and triplets were lighter than single born kids. Heritability was found to be 0.48±0.01, 0.42±0.05, 0.46±0.08, 0.44±0.08 and 0.49±0.01 for body weight at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of age, respectively. Moderate heritability estimate was indicative of scope of selective breeding for improvement of Black Bengal breed of Jharkhand. Mean lactation length as recorded was 96 days and was higher than last four years. Based on the heritability estimate for body weights at different ages, as well as on the basis of significance of genetic and non-genetic factors affecting the important growth traits, selection strategy for successive years would be devised using Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer-Open Nucleus Breeding Technology in future.
Keywords: Heritability, weight at birth, weight at 12 months, breeding value, parity