Body weight, morphometric measurements and number of teats of Boer goat does, reared in Bulgaria

Dimitar Panayotov

Abstract: The Boer goat is a goat breed new to Bulgaria, where it was introduced a few years ago. This study was conducted to evaluate the body weight (BW) and some morphological characteristics (body and head measurements and numbers of teats) in the first Boer goats, reared in Bulgaria – imported from different country (Austria and Germany) and the generation born in Bulgaria. Data were collected from 90 does kept in Agroustina farm in Plovdiv district, situated in the pre- mountainous territories of the Rhodope mountains. The does were divided into two age groups: 1.5 years and 2.5 years. Data were collected on 12 morphometrical measurements (MM) – Body weight (BW), Withers height (WH), Rump height (RH), Body length (BL), Rump length (RL), Rump width (RW), Chest width (CW), Chest depth (CD), Heart girth (HG), Cannon circumference (CC), Head length (HDL), Head width (HDL), Horns length (HoL). The BW of does was 44.70 – 47.46 kg at 1.5 years old and 57.10 – 64.58 kg at 2.5 years old; the WH was 64.21 – 65.63 cm at 1.5 years and 65.30 – 68.26 cm at 2.5 years old. Our results are close to recommended as optimal in the majority of Boer goat standards in the world. Other important MM, which was in relation with the truly meat type, was BL (79.0 to 82.0 cm at 1.5 years old and 83.4 to 87.1 cm at 2.5 years old) and HG (81.45 to 83.00 cm at 1.5 years old and 87.6 to 91.68 cm at 2.5 years old). With ANOVA was estimated the highest and most significant influences for factor “age” on all body measurements, body weight and head measurements ((p < 0.001 and p < 0.01). The majority of correlation coefficients between BW and body measurements were high and significant (P < 0.01, P < 0.001) in both age groups but all were the highest at 2.5 years does. The highest and strongly positive correlation (P < 0.001) was recorded between BW and heart girth (0.94), chest width (0.87) followed by body length (0.84) and cannon circumference (0.79) for 2.5 years old goats. The studied goats were classified on the basis of the number of teats (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) by visual appraisal. The LS-means for number of teats in does born in Bulgaria and those born in Germany, was respectively 3.37 and 3.35 and the lowest was in does born in Austria (2.75). In the whole population of Boer does reared in Bulgaria we established а slight preponderance of four teats (48.89%) than two teats (46.67%) and equal share of does with three and five teats (2.22%). If we estimate the Supernumerary teats (SNT) of Boer does reared in Bulgaria, the biggest share had these born in Bulgaria (71.43%) followed by those born in Germany (70.00%) and the least – born in Austria (36.96%). In the Boer goat population reared in Bulgaria, the SNT was 53.33%. But if we compute the share of individuals with more than 4 teats (that was accepted in all Boer goat standards), only 2.22% of Boer goats introduced in Bulgaria had more than 4 teats (not acceptable).

Keywords: , morphometric measurements; Body weigh; Boer goat; Breed standards; number of teats

Date published: 2022-03-11