Relationship between litter birthweight and litter size in five goat genotypes
Miguel Mellado A , Cesar A. Meza-Herrera B F , José R. Arévalo C , Maria A. De Santiago-Miramontes D , Alvaro Rodríguez A , Juan R. Luna-Orozco E and Francisco G. Veliz-Deras D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Departamento de Nutrición Animal, Saltillo, Mexico.
B Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Unidad Regional Universitaria de Zonas Áridas, Bermejillo, Durango 35230, Mexico.
C Universidad de la Laguna, Departamento de Parasitologia, Ecologia y Genetica, La Laguna, Spain.
D Universidad Autonoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Departamento de Ciencias Veterinarias, Torreón 27054, Mexico.
E Centro de Bachillerato Tecnologico Agropecuario #1, Torreón 27410, Mexico.
F Corresponding author. Email: cmeza2000@gmail.com, cmeza2020@hotmail.com
Animal Production Science 51(2) 144-149 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN10112
Submitted: 2 July 2010 Accepted: 25 October 2010 Published: 28 January 2011
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to use a non-linear regression approach to investigate the relationship between litter birthweight and litter size of five breeds of goat under intensive conditions in a hot arid environment. Litter-size and litter-weight data on 20 117 kids from 13 685 litters representing five breeds, namely Saanen, Toggenburg, French Alpine, Anglo-Nubian and Granadina, were compared to evaluate this relationship. Regardless of breed, birthweight for kids born as twins, triplets and quadruplets was, on average, 92%, 87% and 83%, respectively, of that of singleton kids; litter size accounted for 81% of the variation in litter weight. The coefficient of the power regression differed (P < 0.01) among breeds, with similar slopes for French Alpine, Toggenburg and Saanen goats and a smaller litter-weight increase for every additional fetus in Anglo-Nubian and Granadina goats than in other breeds of goat. These results support the hypothesis that, regardless of parity, litter weight in dairy and Granadina goats increases at a reduced rate with increases in litter size, although the rate of change with the increasing number of fetuses was moderate, as indicated by a power regression of the form y = axb between these variables across age categories and breeds of goat.
Additional keywords: goat kids, litter weight, multiple fetuses, prolificacy.
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