Selection index for improvement of production and reproduction performance in southern Odisha goats

Abstract

Background: Morphometrics, production and reproduction traits from 392, 346 and 352 Ganjam, Narayanpatna and Malkangiri goat types, respectively belonging to southern Odisha state were evaluated in the present study. Methods: Specialised selection indices were computed for each breed separately according to the production and reproduction economic demand of the farmers on goat rearing. Index formulated was I = b1x1+b2x2+.....+bnxn, where, b1 was the partial regression coefficient or weighing factor for x1 and x1 was the phenotypic measurement on the ith character. Result: One index was developed in Ganjam goats to decrease age of the goat during first kidding and interval between kidding. This index had efficiency equal to 0.592 and expected to reduce age at first kidding and kidding interval, the most desired economic reproduction traits in meat animals. Similarly for improvement of body weight in Malkangiri and Narayanpatna goats at 12 months of age indices were developed which had efficiency more than 0.675 and 0.696, respectively and expected to bring about a positive gain in body weight, the only economic production trait.