Definition of Breeding Objective Traits for Arsi-Bale Goat Breed in East Arsi Zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.

Abstract

Individual interview, own-flock ranking and group animal ranking experiment were implemented to define the breeding objective traits for indigenous goats in the study area. Two districts in Arsi Zone, namely, Honkolo Wabe and Lemu Bilbilo were selected purposively. A pre-tested questionnaire was used for the individual interview with randomly selected 120 goat producers, 60 from each district. Indices were calculated to provide the ranking of the purpose of keeping, sources of feed, selection criteria, reasons for culling and constraints of goat production. In the own-flock ranking experiment 60 households, 30 from each district and 340 goats were used. In the own-flock ranking experiment, goat owners were asked to choose the first best, second best, third best and inferior goats. Ten flocks in each district were selected based on the number of goats used in the own-flock ranking. Top, middle and worst goats were selected from each of the 10 flocks which was allowed collecting 30 breeding females and breeding males were also ranked. Goats are mainly reared for cash income, milk, meat, manure and saving with the overall index values of 0.41, 0.15, 0.28, 0.07 and 0.09, respectively. The overall average (±SE) composition of goat flock structure was 1.79±0.25, 3.90±0.17, 1.29±0.18, 2.18±0.28, 1.63±0.18, 8.39±0.70 and 0.90±0.21 for suckling male kids, suckling female kids, weaned male kids less than one year, weaned female kids less than one year, matured male greater one year, matured female greater one year and castrated male goat, respectively. Large variation was observed between the first best and the last ranked does in most of the traits, for example average (±SE) kidding interval 7.55±0.36 and 11.18±0.31 months for the first best and last ranked does, respectively and body weight 36.4±1.4 and 30.3±1.9kg for first best and last ranked does, respectively. From the study, it was concluded that farmers' preference of Arsi-Bale goat keepers through the individual interview, own-flock ranking and group animal ranking methods were consistent and comparable in their results. The overall methods indicated that breeding objective traits identification tools were used to determine breeding objective and to improve the income of the farmers, improving meat production potential of goats and market values are important considerations that depend on improving Prolificacy, flock size and growth rate. From the conclusion, it was recommended that the development of a selection index for the Arsi-Bale goat breed need to consider the prolificacy, body size and growth r