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Influence of doe age on incidence of multiple births and perinatal reproductive wastage in West African Dwarf goats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. I. A. Osuagwuh
A. I. A. Osuagwuh
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
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Summary

Breeding records over 12 years (1977–89), involving 455 West African Dwarf does derived from an original population of 133 breeding does, were used to examine the influence of dam age on the incidence of multiple births and perinatal reproductive wastage due to abortion and neonatal deaths. The animals were semi-intensively managed in two goat research units at the University of Ibadan Teaching and Research Farm.

The regression results showed that the variable component, multiple births, increased (P < 0·01) linearly with advancing age of the doe, while the incidence of abortionsand neonatal deaths increased (P < 0·01) exponentially with doe age. Graphs plotted from the regression results indicated a sharp increase in the incidence of abortion and neonatal deaths between the ages of 6 and 7 years. This suggests that the practice of keeping these animals for longer than necessary, especially in rural areas of the country where they are mostly reared and kept for prestigious reasons, should be re-evaluated. Therefore it is recommended that to maintain an economically viable production system, does should be culled between the ages of 6 and 7 years and the provision of replacements planned accordingly.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 117 , Issue 2 , October 1991 , pp. 265 - 269
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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