Characteristics and trait preferences of West African Dwarf goat keepers in Ghana.

A study was conducted to evaluate the characteristics of West African Dwarf (WAD) goat keepers and their trait preferences as part of a broader phenotypic characterisation work with the aim of providing information for improving the household management, conservation and productivity of the breed in Ghana. A total of 384 respondent households were selected from four agro-ecological zones in the middle belt and southern part of the country for questionnaire administration and direct observation of animals under field conditions. The results showed that there are slightly more women (54.2%) keeping WAD goats than men (45.8%) and fall within the economically active population of youthful and middle age categories (53.9%). A majority of these goat keepers were married (73.8%) and educated (87.3%) in one way or the other. They obtained their starter or foundation stock mainly from neighbours (80.5%) and the open market (16.0%). The average flock size from the households sampled was 7.9 ± 1.5, whereas the flock structure constituted 56.1% adult females, 27.5% adult intact males, 1.2% castrates and 15.2% kids of both sexes. Survivability, fast growth rate and larger litter size were the farmers' most preferred quantitative traits, whereas most of these respondents preferred to keep WAD goats which do not have qualitative traits such as horn, wattle and beard. From the findings of the research, it was concluded that the favourable socio-economic characteristics of WAD goat keepers could sustain intensification and increase the productivity of the breed when given the necessary input assistance along the goat value chain. The primary objective of WAD goat farmers is to produce matured animals for various purposes and the breeding goal for a WAD goat breeding programme would be to increase survival, growth rate and litter size of light coat (white, grey and light brown) goats. Finally, most farmers lack knowledge on the significance of tropically beneficial qualitative traits such as horn, wattle, beard and light coat colouration on the survivability, climate adaptability or resilience and productivity of their goats. Educating farmers on the importance of conserving and inclusion of animals possessing such traits in their selection practices under the Government's Rearing for Food and Jobs Initiative is therefore suggested.

Morphometric characterization and differentiation of West African Dwarf goat populations in Ghana.

A study was carried out to characterize and differentiate four West African Dwarf goat populations on the basis of morphometric traits and also predict their body weights using linear body measurements. A total of 384 goats were sampled from four agro-ecological zones from the middle belt and southern part of Ghana. The morphometric traits examined for phenotypic differentiation using univariate and multivariate analysis were body weight, body length, withers height, chest girth, chest depth, shoulder point width, rump length, rump width, head length, head width, shin circumference, horn length, ear length, tail length, and hair length. Results obtained showed that agro-ecological zone and age significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the performance of most traits. The phenotypic correlations among the traits were low to high (0.06-0.67) indicating linear relationships among these traits which may be caused by both genetic and environmental factors. The regression analysis also revealed that a single trait which may be used to predict the body weight of male West African Dwarf goats of ages 1-4 years is chest/heart girth and that of female counterparts is withers height. All the populations were significantly (p < 0.0001) distant (differentiated) from each other, but the largest (4.62) estimated Mahalanobis distance (D2) was between West African Dwarf goat populations in the transitional zone P1 and the rainforest P3 while the least (1.61) was observed between transitional zone P1 and semi-deciduous forest zone P2. The highest similarity between individuals within population was found in the rainforest P3 (79.76%) and the lowest in the transitional zone P1 (47.13%). The three canonical components (Can1, Can2, and Can3) explained the total (100%) between-population variation in morphometric traits. However, in partitioning of the variance, the first two canonical components (Can1 and Can2) accounted for cumulative proportion of 84.35% of between-population variance. In order of importance, tail length, head length, ear length, shin circumference, head width, and shoulder point width were the most discriminating variables responsible for the variations among the four goat populations. In conclusion, morphometric variations exist among West African Dwarf goat populations of Ghana. Yet, further studies on molecular genetic diversity of the populations are recommended to support a sustainable breed improvement strategy. Also, equations have been developed that can be used to reliably predict the body weight of WAD goats and future research should also focus on developing single variable weight estimator measuring tapes based only on either the chest girth, withers height, or body length prediction equations for farmers to use in the absence of weighing scale.

Genetic and non-genetic factors influencing the performance of the West African Dwarf (WAD) goat kept at the Kintampo Goat Breeding Station of Ghana.

A study was conducted to analyze the effect of genetic and non-genetic factors influencing the growth performance of the West African Dwarf goat. Breed records of 836 kids born by 259 does, and 8 bucks from 2011 to 2017 at the station were used. Growth performance traits studied were birth weight, weaning weight, 6-month body weight, 9-month body weight, yearling weight, and pre-weaning and post-weaning growth rates. The fixed effects of sex of kid (male or female), season of kidding (major, minor, and dry), year of kidding (2011-2017), and type of birth (single, twins, or triplets) on growth performance were determined. Genetic parameters such as heritability and correlations among the traits were also estimated. The non-genetic data (fixed factors) obtained were analyzed using the general linear model procedures of GenStat (Discovery Edition 12). Heritability estimates obtained for the growth traits were 0.45 ± 0.15, 0.57 ± 0.29, 0.04 ± 0.05, 0.74 ± 0.59, 0.49 ± 0.35, 0.55 ± 0.39, and 0.54 ± 0.36, respectively, an indication of high genetic variation existing among the traits (with the exception of 6-month body weight). This could be harnessed and utilized for genetic improvement within the flock. The phenotypic correlation coefficients among the traits ranged from low to high (0.04-0.95), indicating that there is a linear relationship among body traits of the goats which may be caused by either genetic or environmental factors of correlation. The genetic correlations were also medium to high (0.30-0.96). The general implications are that selection for any of these growth traits in a breed improvement programme would have a considerable simultaneous positive impact on each other. The overall birth weight, weaning weight, 6-month body weight, 9-month body weight, yearling weight, and pre- and post-weaning growth rates obtained were 1.48 kg, 5.35 kg, 6.56 kg, 8.30 kg, 10.00 kg, 32.26 g/day, and 19.39 g/day, respectively. These growth performances were found to be significantly influenced by the non-genetic factors studied. There is therefore the need to factor these in future breed improvement programmes to ensure their success.

The effects of breed, season and parity on the reproductive performance of pigs reared under hot and humid environments.

A research aimed at evaluating the reproductive performance of pigs as influenced by breed, season, and parity was carried out. Reproductive performance records of 1383 sows made up of 204 primiparous and 1179 multiparous large white (687) and Duroc × large white crosses (696) obtained over a 3-year period (2013 to 2016) were used. Data on reproductive performance taken were farrowing rate, litter size at birth and at weaning, piglet weight at birth and at weaning farrowing interval and pre-weaning mortality. To determine the effect of season, parity and breed on reproductive performance, the 4-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used. A mixed model was fitted using the generalized linear model (GLM) procedure of the GenStat (Discovery Edition) to investigate the fixed effects of breed (two classes), season of birth (three classes) and parity (five classes) on the reproductive traits. Where differences in means were observed, the means were separated using the least significant difference at 5% level of significance. Results obtained indicated litter size at birth of 12.5 ± 0.3 and 14.2 ± 0.5 for the large white and the Duroc × large white respectively and farrowing rates of 90.0 ± 2.3 and 94.5 ± 2.5% for the large white and the Duroc × large white respectively. Litter size at birth and at weaning, farrowing rate and piglet weight at birth were all influenced by parity and season with increasing parity significantly reducing litter size at birth and at weaning. Reproductive traits of the sows were superior during the rainy season, an indication of the need to consider season of birth in making decision.

Effect of the frizzle gene (F) on egg production and egg quality of laying hens kept in tropical villages.

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of the frizzle gene (F) on the production and quality of chicken eggs kept on village farms in Ghana. 2. In the first experiment, 144 pullets, 72 each of Ff and ff pullets from F1 birds, were compared in a randomised complete block design (RCBD), with three villages and 4 batches of hatch as blocks and the two feather genotypes (Ff and ff) as the treatments. 3. The Ff pullets were superior (P < 0.05) to their ff counterparts in terms of the number of eggs per clutch, egg mass and hen-housed and hen-d rates of lay, whereas age at first egg was lower (P < 0.05) in ff layers compared to Ff ones. 4. The eggs of the F1 heterozygous frizzle (Ff) layers had higher values for albumen height, Haugh unit and yolk height compared with eggs from their normal feathered counterparts. 5. In the second experiment, 144 pullets, 48 each of FF, Ff and ff pullets, were compared in a RCBD, with three villages and 4 batches of hatch as blocks and the two feather genotypes (Ff and ff) as the treatments. 6. The F2 birds with genotypes Ff and FF were better than their ff counterparts in terms of the number of eggs per clutch, egg mass, and hen-housed and hen-d rates of lay. Age at first egg was significantly lower in ff layers compared to FF and Ff ones. 7. The Haugh unit value was higher in the homozygous and heterozygous frizzles compared to the normal feathered ones. 8. The presence of the frizzle gene (F) in egg type chickens led to an improvement in egg production and egg quality traits in village chickens, and the cross-breeding scheme evaluated in this project could contribute to improved productivity.

Growth performance of crossbred naked neck and normal feathered laying hens kept in tropical villages.

1. Two experiments were conducted to develop naked neck (Na/na) and normal feathered (na/na) crossbreds and compare their growth performance, linear body measurements and carcass characteristics in the first and second filial generations. 2. In the first experiment, 4 indigenous naked neck males (Na/na) were mated to 36 Lohmann commercial females (na/na) in a ratio of 1:9. The two genotypes (Na/na, na/na) were allocated randomly according to batches of hatch, sire lines and sex to three different villages. 3. In the second experiment, 10 males and 100 females of F1 Na/na birds were selected and mated inter se in a ratio of 1:10. The three genotypes (Na/Na, Na/na and na/na) were compared in a randomised complete block design experiment, with the three villages, hatch and sex as blocks and the three genotypes as treatments. F1 Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield than their na/na counterparts. 4. In the F2 generation, Na/Na and Na/na birds had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio, body weight, body weight gain, linear body measurements, survivability and carcass yield compared to their na/na counterparts. 5. The birds showing the naked neck phenotype appeared to show superior performance compared to normal feathered birds and could be exploited for potential utilisation in local poultry production.