Milk production parameters and growth traits of the Guéra goat in Kayes, Mali

Diakaridia Traoré, Hamidou Nantoumé* and Cheick H T Diarra*

Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université des Sciences, des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako; BP: E 3206, Mali
traorediakaridia1998@yahoo.fr
* Institut d’Economie Rurale (IER) BP: 258 Mali

Abstract

Evaluations were carried out on milk production (daily milk production, total milk production and lactation length) and growth parameters (weight, height to the tourniquet, length scapulo-ischiale, thoracic perimeter, back length and hip width) on Guéra goats in Kayes, Mali..

Average daily milk yield was 1.9 liters, varying from 1 to 3 liters, during the 142 days of lactation, for a total milk production of 262 liters per goat. Milk yield increased to the number of birth has been observed.  

Average birth weight  was 2.14 kg, regardless of sex. On the other hand,  weight of  single  kids was significantly superior to those of  doubles and triples. Adulthood  average weight was  35 kg for the females and 42 kg for males.   

Key words: growth parameters, evaluating milk yield

Résumé

Des évaluations  sur les paramètres de production laitière (production laitière quotidienne, production laitière totale et durée de lactation) et de croissance (poids vif, hauteur au garrot, longueur scapulo-ischiale,  périmètre thoracique,  longueur du dos et largeur de la hanche) ont été faites sur le chèvres Guéra à Kayes, Mali. La quantité journalière moyenne de lait  a été 1,9 litres variant de 1 à 3 litres pendant  142 jours avec une production laitière totale par chèvre de 262 litres. L’augmentation des performances quotidiennes de lait en fonction du rang de mise bas a été observée.

Le poids moyen des chevreaux à la naissance à été 2,14 kg. Il n’a pas varié en fonction du sexe. Par contre le poids des chevreaux de naissances simples était significativement supérieur à ceux des naissances doubles et triples. A l’âge adulte, le poids moyen a été  35 kg pour les femelles et 42 kg pour les mâles. 

Mots clés: paramètres de croissance, évaluation rendement lait

Introduction

Mali, an agro pastoral country, is paradoxically confronted with a problem of providing food.  The agricultural productions are essentially based on  extensive systems , very often with low outputs, due to a continuous deterioration of spaces by uncontrolled reclamations of farming lands or overgrazing.   Autochthonous breeds, although adapted to the difficult climatic conditions of Sahelian areas, are not very productive. Several studies on the productivity of Malian breeds have been undertaken (Kouriba 1982; Wilson et al 1983; Nialibouly et al 1999; Coulibaly et al 2004, Nantoumé  et al 2003).

One way to increase animal production in Mali is the genetic improvement of   local breeds through selection or crossing with exotic breeds.   The Guéra goat has been introduced in Mali from Mauritania to improve local goat productions, particularly in the intensive and semi intensive production systems.  It is known in Mauritania for its high milk performances.

This survey of the performance of Guéra goats was carried out at the Regional Centre of Agronomic Research of Kayes in Mali.  

Material and methods

Animals  

A total of 98 goats was used. They were treated against parasites and  vaccinated against blackleg caused by Clostridium chauvoei. They were taken  to graze without contact with other herds to prevent mating  and contagion illness. Lactating females  were attached to pegs and individually received  cotton seed meal as supplement after grazing, from 200 to 400 g during the rainy and cold dry seasons and  300 to 500 g during the hot dry season. The rest of animals received on average 200 g a day per animal. Herd structure and size  are presented  in table 1.  

Production traits evaluation  

The parameters were:

-  Milk production traits (daily milk production, total milk production and lactation length),  

- Growth traits (weight, height to the tourniquet, length scapulo-ischiale, thoracic perimeter, back length and hip width) 

Milk  records

Milk production was measured  once a week, one evening and the following morning. Kids were weighed before (P1) and after (P2) suckling to determine amount of milk consumed and the remaining was extracted by hand milking to determine daily production.  

Growth records

Weight and body measurements  were taken  twice a month in animals aged 0-3 months and once a month for animals over 3 months.

Data Analysis  

Data were analysed using the General Linear Model  of ANOVA (Minitab 2000).

Milk production traits

They were estimated using the model:

Y_ijk = μ + a_i + br_j + bs_k + e_ijk

Y= milk yield

μ =  mean, a = random effect, br = effect of lactation number, bs = effect of birth season, e = rest effect
 

The growth traits
 

The following model was used:

Y_ijk = μ+ a_i + bt_j + bs_k + e_ijk

Y = Weight or length

μ = mean, a = random effect, bt = effect of birth type, bs = effect of birth season, e =  rest effect

Results

Milk production traits   

It was carried out on 45 complete lactations. The daily  milk quantities  (DMQ), the total production of milk (TPM) and the lactation length (LL) were : 1.9 liters (varying from 1 to 3.1 liters), 262 liters and 142 days per female. The daily  milk  was the sum of  milk suckled (0.8 liter) by kids and  that from hand milking (1.1 liter). The averages of milk performance are given in table 2.    

The lowest daily milk quantity was 1 liter and 3,1 liters  the highest. The total milk quantity and lactation length varied (p <0.05) among individuals. They varied  between 91 and 540 liters for the total milk quantity and 68 to 225 days for lactation length.  

Effect of lactation number  on milk production traits   

Daily  milk quantity increased (p <0.05) according to  lactation. Productions of females with more than three births were significantly higher than those of the other ranks (Table 3).    

The highest total milk productions(p <0.05) was observed in females with more than three lactations  (Table 4). Those in their first and second lactation were not significantly different (p>0.05).   

The lactation length didn't significantly vary according to lactation number (Table 5). 

Effect of the birth season on the milk production   

All  milk production traits varied according to season (Tables 6 - 8). The highest  quantities were recorded during the cold and hot dry seasons, probably because of the effect of feeding with cotton seed in these periods.   

The highest total milk quantity (p <0.05) was also recorded during the cold dry season (Table 7).  

The lactation length varied significantly during the three seasons. The longest lactation (p <0,05) was observed during the cold dry season and the shortest one during the rainy season (Table 8).  

Weights and body measurements

 At birth  

The parameters were: weight (W), height to the tourniquet (HT), thoracic perimeter (TP), back length  (BL), length of scapulo - ischiale (LSI) and hip width  (HW).   The average values are given in the table 9.

Birth type 

The effect of birth type on kid weight  at birth was analysed (table 10). The average weights of singles were significantly superior to the rest. Twins and triple didn't differ statistically (p>0,05).

Sex effect 

 No differences (p>0.05) were observed between males and females (Table 11).  

Adult animals (≥ 18 months)

Growth traits (weight and body measurements) for all animals aged more than 18 months were evaluated,  averages are presented  in tables 12 and 13.  

Sex effect on adult animals  

Males were significantly higher for all parameters with the exception of WH (Table 13).     

Discussion

Data on the production traits by Guéra goat are limited. Those existing  relate to short measurements of the project “introduction of the Guéra breed in Mali” (Doumbia 1998).  The estimations of  daily milk yield showed  very irregular performances with 0,5 liter in Legal Ségou, 2,25 in Banaya, 0,25 in Yélimanés and 1,61 liters in Samé village of Kayes,  Mali. The results of the present study showed that the milk production traits of the Guéra goat in complete lactations vary according to inviduals, to lactation number, with  higher performance in females with  more than three lactations. Supplementary  feeding of cotton seed during the different seasons  had  influence on  dairy performance. The greatest  quantities were observed during the cold dry season.

The daily milk quantities observed by different local goat breeds of Mali with 1,1 liter / female / day by Boureïssa goats and  0,6 liter / female / day by Sahel goats (Nantoumé et al 2005 ; Dembélé et al 2009), were inferior than those evaluated in this study. Growth traits, particularly  weight, showed a variation according to the birth type during the past three years. No significant differences of weight were observed between  sexes at birth. Average weights of adult males were significantly higher  than  adult females.  Weights of singles birth were significantly higher up to the adulthood than  twins and triplets.

Adult weights were 35 kg for females and 42 kg for males.  Sahelian goats weigh around 35 kg on average and Djallonké goats  25 kg. These results indicate that the Guéra goat shows good growth  in addition to milk production. Young males  can be well exploited for meat production.

Conclusions

• It appears  that milk production with Guéra goat under Sahelian conditions is possible.

• Improvements  can be realised with supplementary  feeding (e.g. cotton seed) during the dry season. 

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Appui Progrmme project, financed by the Netherlands cooperation. Thanks are also due to IER (Institut d’Economie Rurale) for their technical help.

References

Dembélé B,  Nantoumé H et Mohamoud M 2009 Caractérisation du système de production de la chèvre de Boureïssa au Mali, Rapport final de Recherche, 15e  Commission Scientifique du Comité National de Recherche Agricole, Novembre 2009, Bamako   

Doumbia M 1998 Note technique sur le projet d’introduction de la chèvre Guéra dans la région de Kayes

Coulibaly M D, Traoré  A, Cissé A B,  Traoré  D et  Ouologuem B 2004 Amélioration de la productivité des races bovines autochtones par le croisement, performances laitières des croisés Rouge des Steppes. Études et Recherches Sahéliennes Nr 8-9 pages 99-106

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Nantoumé  H,  Traoré  D et  Diarra  C  H  T  2003 Mise au point de techniques d’amélioration des productions de lait, de viande et de laine des petits ruminants; Rapport de Recherche ; 9^ième Commission Scientifique/ Bamako

Nantoumé  H, Traoré  D et Diarra C H  T 2005 Mise au point de techniques d’amélioration des productions de lait, de viande et de laine des petits ruminants. Rapport final de Recherche, 11^e  Commission Scientifique du Comité National de Recherche Agricole, Novembre 2005, Bamako   

Nialibouly  O 1999 Performances de production et de reproduction du zébu Maure et Peuhl en amélioration à la Station de la Recherche Agronomique de Niono, Mali; Mémoire de DEA, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar

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Received 14 October 2012 ; Accepted 31 October 2012; Published 2 December 2012

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