Incidence and relative effects of qualitative traits in west African dwarf goat

The incidence of important qualitative traits and their relationship with body measurement were examined in west African dwarf goats. The predominant coat type found in these goats was smooth hair. Among the 500 goats surveyed, 25% of the animals had no beard. The incidence of unilateral and bilateral wattle was 40 and 44%, respectively. Similarly, 13% of the goats were polled, while 87% were horned. The relative distribution of teats varied, 57% had two teats, 29% had three teats and 15% had four teats. The body length of goats with smooth hair was significantly longer compared to those with wool. Similarly, goats with no beard had larger abdomen (66 cm) and shorter legs (28 cm) relative to bearded goats (P<0.05). The tail was longer in goats that had neither horns nor wattles, and the number of teats was significantly associated with length of ear, tail and legs. Goats with two teats tended to have longer ears, tails and legs. This preliminary knowledge of the relationship between qualitative traits and body measurement need to be verified with a larger population of goats and could possibly help in selection of more productive goats.