A Study On The Performance Of Mahabubnagar Goats*

Data on body weights at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age were recorded on 644 Mahabubnagar local kids born between 1993 and 2008, at Livestock Research Station, Mahabubnagar were utilized. The overall least-squares means for body weight at birth, weaning, 6, 9 and 12 months age were 2.13 ± 0.02, 8.7 ± 0.08, 12.23 ± 0.10, 15.01 ± 0.10 and 17.89 ± 0.13 kg respectively. The effects of period of kidding, sex and type of births were significant on body weights of Mahabubnagar goats (P<0.01), while season of kidding had no significant influence. Male kids weighed heavier than females. Heritability estimates for weight at birth (0.08 ± 0.07) and weaning (0.06± 0.09) were low and were moderate for post weaning body weights (0.10± 0.10, 0.21 ± 0.13 and 0.20± 0.12 at 6, 9 and 12 months respectively).The genetic and phenotypic correlations among kid weights at different ages ranged from −1.71 to 0.46.