The contribution of small ruminants to household and national economies in sub-Saharan Africa is substantial. This study evaluated the variability of morphophysiological traits related to sexual dimorphism in two Nigerian indigenous goat breeds at various ages under intensive management. Eighty goats (30 WAD, 50 RS), approximately aged 150 days, were used over 12 weeks at the Goat Production Unit, Livestock Section, Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. A 2×2 factorial experiment in a completely randomized arrangement was used to assess the influence of breed and sex on growth and physiological traits of the goats using SAS 2008 statistical software. Results showed that breed, sex, and age factors significantly (p < 0.05) influenced body weight and feed conversion ratio, with WAD goats showing superior growth traits over their RS counterparts. The WAD goats also demonstrated better thermoregulatory efficiency, evidenced by lower body temperatures. Conversely, RS goats had significantly higher (p < 0.01) pulse and respiratory rates, indicating breed-specific metabolic responses. The does consumed more feeds with higher body weight than males, while males had higher rectal temperatures, suggesting greater heat stress. The findings underscore the importance of breed- and sex-specific management in optimizing goat productivity. The WAD goats are recommended for environments with limited feed resources and high ambient temperatures. Conservation and genetic improvement of both breeds should target growth rate, feed efficiency, and thermoregulation especially at maturity. This study provides critical insights for designing sustainable breeding strategies to enhance goat production in the humid tropics of Africa.
Atansuyi et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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