Estimates of genetic and phenotypic parameters of some growth traits in Common African and Alpine crossbred goats

Data on 838 Common African kids and 688 crossbred kids, progeny of Common African breed does and 16 French Alpine bucks were used to detect the effect of sire breed, gender, type of birth, and age of does on body weights (BW) and average daily gains (ADG) of kids. Genetic, phenotypic parameters and estimates of heritability of 16 growth traits (eight BW taken at monthly intervals from birth up to seven months of age and eight ADG) were estimated from data collected by the French project (Kigali-est, Masaka, Rwanda). Sire breed and type of birth affected (P < 0.001) BW and ADG of kids, while gender affected (P < 0.01) BW and ADG from 30 to 90 days of age. Age of does affected (P < 0.01) only BW from 120 to 210 days of age. Almost all phenotypic correlation coefficients among the traits studied were high (P < 0.01) and positive, whereas the genetic correlation coefficients between BW and the corresponding ADG were high (P < 0.05) and positive except between ADG6 and ADG7 on one hand and ADG1 and all BW from birth up to BW at 90 days of age on the other hand. All estimates of heritability of BW and ADG were high and tended to decrease with the increase of age of kids (between 0.68 for birth weight to 0.39 for BW at 210 days of age and from 0.39 for ADG1 to 0.11 for ADG7). © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.