Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-c654p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-28T02:12:14.964Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gestation period, litter size and birth weight in the goat

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

E. A. Amoah  and
M. J. Bryant
E. A. Amoah
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 2AT
M. J. Bryant
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture and Horticulture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 2AT
Get access

Abstract

Data from 265 female goats (does) from seven herds in Year 1 and 130 does from four herds in Year 2 were analysed using a general linear interactive model for factors affecting gestation period (GP), litter size (LS) and birth weight (BW) of offspring (kids). Gestation period could be described by the regression equation GP = α – 0·890LS –1·072S where S is the proportion of male kids in the litter and the constant (a) depends on breed and herd and was 154·240 (s.e., 0·843) days for British Saanen does in Herd 1. The model established for LS was a quadratic regressional relationship LS = a – 0·000103 (MW - 60))2 + 0-0172 (MW -60) where MW was live weight of the doe at mating and a at MW = 60 kg depends on herd and period of kidding. For early-kidding does in Herd 1 a was 2·277 (s.e., 0·090) kids. The expression BW —α 0·363LS + 0·057P is a simplified multiple regressional form involving BW, LS and parity (P) where a varies according to breed, herd and age of the doe. The estimate of a for kids from British Saanen, 1-year-old does in Herd 1 was 3·879 (s.e., 0·632) kg.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , February 1983 , pp. 105 - 110
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Asdell, S. A. 1929. Variation in the duration of gestation in the goat. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 19: 382–396.Google Scholar
Baker, R. J. and Nelder, J. A. 1978. The GLIM System, Release 3. Numerical Algorithms Group, Oxford.Google Scholar
Dickinson, A. G., Hancock, J. L., Hovell, G. J. R., Taylor, St C. S. and Weiner, G. 1962. The size of lambs at birth—a study involving egg transfer. Anim. Prod. 4:64–79.Google Scholar
Donald, H. P. and Russell, W. S. 1970. The relationship between live weight of the ewe at mating and weight of newborn lamb. Anim. Prod. 12:273–280.Google Scholar
Epstein, H. and Hertz, A. 1964. Fertility and birth weights of goats in a subtropical environment. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62: 237–244.Google Scholar
Hendy, C. R. C. and Bowman, J. C. 1974. The association between variation in the seasonal onset of oestrus and litter size in the ewe. J. Reprod. Fen. 40: 105–112.Google Scholar
Land, R. B., Dickinson, A. G. and Read, J. L. 1969. The influence of seasonal variation on fertility and early body growth in sheep. Anim. Prod. 11:251–257.Google Scholar
Mackenzie, D. 1970. Goat Husbandry. 3rd ed: Faber and Faber, London.Google Scholar
Moulick, S. K., Guha, H., Gupta, S., Mitra, D. K. and Bhattacharya, S. 1966. Factors affecting multiple birth in Black Bengal goats. Indian J. vet. Sci. 36: 154–163.Google Scholar
Peaker, M. 1978. Gestation period and litter size in the goat. Br. vet. J. 134: 379–383.Google Scholar
Prasad, S. P., Roy, A. and Pandey, M. D. 1971. Influence of age, body weight, parity and season on the reproductive performance of Barbari goat. Agra Univ. J. Res. 20: 31–39.Google Scholar
Winrock International Livestock Research And Training Center. 1976. The Role of Sheep and Coats in Agricultural Development. Proceedings of a workshop held at Winrock International Center, Morrilton, Arkansas, USA, November 1976.Google Scholar
Sachdeva, K. K., Sengar, O. P. S., Singh, S. N. and Lindahl, I. L. 1973. Studies on goats. I. Effects of plane of nutrition on the reproductive performance of does. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 80: 375–379.Google Scholar
Shelton, M. 1960. The influence of presence of a male goat on the initiation of estrous cycling and ovulation of Angora does. J. Anim. Sci. 19: 368–375.Google Scholar
Shelton, M. 1978. Reproduction and breeding of goats. J. Dairy Sci. 61:994–1010.Google Scholar
Tantawy, A. O. and Ahmed, I. A. 1960. Studies on Egyptian Baladi goats. I. Frequency of multiple births and sex rates. Emp. J. exp. Agric. 28: 74–82.Google Scholar