CHARACTERIZATION OF THE WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT FOR CERTAIN QUALITATIVE TRAITS

Abstract

Records on 1344 West African dwarf goats collected between 1982 and 1992 were used in this study. The records were used to describe determine the mode of inheritance for certain qualitative traits in the breed. All the goats have the stiff, short and straight hair coat  type. The goat colour was very variable, irregular and this include white, black brown, pied and mixed colours. Nonetheless basic black colour predominate (53.3%). Basic white and brown goats account for 6.8% and 39.9% respectively. All goats studied irrespective of sex were horned. The goats also have a pair of teats observed. Possession of beard is common in all breeding bucks, nonetheless, 11.6% of the females have beard. About two-thirds of thegoats were wattled which could be bilateral (63%) or unilateral (6.2%) but no sex difference was observed. The mean lengths of body hair, ruff on bisket, wattle, beard in males and females were 2.90±0.80cm, 10.90±3,30 cm, 2.40±0.70 cm, 7.40cm±3.20cm and 9.20±2.7cm, respectively. Gene frequencies of 0.66, 0.08, 0.33and 1.0 were obtained for presence of wattle, albinism, black pigmentation and non polled respectively.