Abstract:
phenotypically characterize indigenous goat type and to identify breeding and husbandry
practices. Data were collected through questionnaire, focus group discussion and field
measurements. A total of 544 goats (163 adult males and 381 adult females) were used for
measurement and 136 households were interviewed. Data were analyzed by descriptive
statistics. Chi–square test was employed for categorical data and Index was calculated to
provide ranking. Multiple correspondence analyses were carried out on the nine qualitative
traits recorded. GLM procedure of SAS versions 9.1 (2008) was employed to analyze
quantitative data. The results revealed that agro- pastoral and pastoral were the main
production systems with average holding of goats per household 12.2±1.6 in Odoshakiso and
11.7±1.3 for Adola district. The primary reason of keeping goat was cash income, milk, and
meat in both districts. Milk yield, meat quality, size, coat color and growth rate were the most
preferred traits of goat in study area. Shrubs and bushes, natural pasture and crop residues
were the main feed resources in the study area. Labor shortage, predator disease incidence
and lack of extension service were the major constraints of goat production. Most frequently
observed coat color pattern was plain in both female (54%) and male (58.5%) goats. The
overall mean age at sexual maturity for indigenous female goat was 12.6 ± 0.16 months and
for male 11.6 ± 0.17 months; age at first kidding 18.4 ± 0.16 months; average reproductive
life time of doe 8 ± 0.1 year; and average kidding interval 6.5 ± 0.06 months. Multiple
correlations between body weight and linear body measurements showed positive correlations
among body weight and linear body measurements for both sexes. Strong positive correlation
between heart girth and body weight was observed (r = 0.98, 0.97) for male and female
population. As per multiple regression analysis the best fitted models to predict body weight
were HG, HW, BL, RH, PW, EL, SC and SL for males whereas HG, HW, RH, BL, PW, EL and
RW for females. Therefore this finding can form a baseline for understanding breeding and
husbandry practices of goats in the study area as first step in designing a sustainable breeding
