Performance of Boer and Woyto-Guji Crossbred F1 Goats (50%) under Semi-Intensive Management System in Konso District, South Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was undertaken to evaluate at on-station growth and reproductive performance of F1 crossbred Boer-Woyto Guji goat kids reared under semi-intensive management system in Konso district, south Ethiopia. A total of 57 F1 crossbred kids were used to evaluate two independent variables: birth type and sex and ten dependent variables: age at first mating, gestation length, age at first kidding, birth weight, weaning weight, six-month weight, nine months weight, yearling weight and weight gains to weaning and yearling were analyzed. The study revealed that yearling weight of the crossbred kids was higher for males (30.72±6.29 kg) and single born (30.50±4.46) kids than females (27.74±1.67) and twins (25.67±3.54), respectively. Pre and post-weaning growth rates for Boer- Woyto-Guji F1 kids were 97.73 and 62.99 (g/day), respectively. Average age at first mating, gestation length and age at first kidding of the crossbred were 8.10±1.27, 5.03±0.02 and 12.91±1.22 months, respectively. Liter size of F1 does was 1.26. The mortality rate was higher during post-weaning (40.81%) than pre-weaning age (10.00%). Although the growth and reproductive performance were faster, the survivability of the F1 crossbred kids was under question. Hence, further comparative performance evaluation is needed with local goats under intensive management system.