Abstract

This study was conducted in Dilla University with the objectives of to evaluate pre-weaning growth performance of boar-Arsi bale goats. Three bucks with 87.5% blood level of boer breed were purchased from Almata Agro Industry and 30 yearling female Arsi-Bale goats were purchased from a local market for cross breeding. Following natural controlled breeding, Doe’s were mated with Boar buck to produce 44% boer and 50% local blood level kids. Does were mated in single sire groups of at least 30 does for one buck. Birth weight, weaning weight, weekly weight were recorded in the morning before grazing and watering. The experiment kids consider only kidding November, 2014 to February 2015 totally 25 kids were born and one only died until weaning. Out of all born F1 kids 17, 7 kids were males and females respectively. From thirty pregnant Doe’s 6.67% of them having dystocia. From the total 96% of kids survive up to weaning. Kid mortality rate was 4.2%. The birth weight of boer-arsi bale cross kids were 3.02 for male kids and 2.41 for female kids. The overall mean of weaning weight of boar arsi bale kids were varies by sex which is 22.48 ± 3.47 for male kids and 18.60 ± 2.20 for female kids and Pre-weaning weight obtained (175.83 ± 6). From the trial it is possible to conclude that boer-arsi bale kids have better growth performances than most of the goat breeds in Ethiopia. integrated efforts combining the feed, breeding and nutritional aspects of production are very important to make use of the breed.

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