Abstract #652

# 652
The effects of sire breed on reproductive and progeny performance in Kiko meat goats.
Henry J. Henderson*1, Chukwuemeka Okere1, 1Tuskegee University, Tuskegee Institute, AL.

The aim of genetic selection in meat goat is to improve performance by incorporating the beneficial traits from a breed type. The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of different sire types (Boer vs. Kiko) on reproduction and progeny performance of purebred Kiko does as well as growth and health performance of their offspring. Doe performance was analyzed by evaluating prolificacy (litter size), fecundity (fertility x prolificacy), and birth types (single, twins, or triplets). Doe and progeny performance were analyzed by evaluating prolificacy and pre-weaning growth and survival. A total number of 19 Kiko does were used in this study, 11 of which were bred to a Kiko buck and 8 to a Boer buck. Results revealed individual breed combination prolificacy values (1.9 and 1.75 kids/doe) for the Kiko Sired Group and Boer Sired group respectively. There were non-significant sire differences for gestation length (150 ± 2.66 vs. 148 ± 3.11 d, P = 0.06) for Boer and Kiko respectively. Weights of Kiko dams assigned to Boer and Kiko sires at breeding were similar (45.63 ± 10.17 vs. 42.39 ± 6.91, kg, P = 0.41). At weaning, weights of dams bred to Boer and Kiko sire were not significantly different (52.77 ± 14.64 and 42.76 ± 7.13, kg, P = 0.10). Litter size at birth and at weaning did not differ among sire breed (1.75 ± 0.46, P = 0.37 vs. 1.90 ± 0.30 and 1.50 ± 0.53 vs. 1.75 ± 0.46, P = 0.33) respectively. Boers sired kids were significantly heavier at birth but not at weaning (3.41 ± 0.48 vs. 2.78 ± 0.53 kg, P = 0.001 and 13.82 ± 2.78 vs. 12.43 ± 3.47 kg, P = 0.26). This suggests a growth-improvement potential for progeny when utilizing Boer sires. Non- significant differences were observed for ADG (0.15 ± 0.03 vs. 0.13 ± 0.03 kg/d) for Boer and Kiko sired kids respectively. Overall, results showed no consistent differences in reproduction and progeny performance traits between the main sire types used in this project.

Key Words: sire, prolificacy, progeny