Genetic Analysis of Cashmere Weight in Southern Khoresan Cashmere Goat by Bayesian Statistics

The objective of this study was to evaluate some environmental factors (sex, season and year of birth, birth type and dam age) on fleece weight, estimate of phenotypic and genetic parameters and trends of this trait on Cashmere goat of the southern Khorasan. GLM procedure of SAS software version 1.9 was used to assess the significant environmental effects on this trait. Records of 1455 kids, the progeny of 127 sires and 562 dams, collected between 1996 and 2012, were used to estimate phenotypic and genetic parameters. Results showed that Cashmere weight was significantly higher in males than females. Genetic analyses was carried out by MTGSAM program. The results of this study indicated that the effects of year of birth and sex at 5% and remaining effects at 1% were significant. To detecting of maternal additive genetic effect and maternal permanent environmental effect, six different animal models were fitted for fleece weight. The most appropriate model according to Akaikes information criterion was model 3with direct additive genetic and permanent environmental maternal effects. Direct and maternal heritability for first fleece weight were 0.49 and 0.09. The results indicated that fleece weight was influenced by maternal genetic effects. The genetic and phenotypic trends for this trait were estimated near to zero and insignificant. It seems, developing of selection index and removing of the environmental obstacles are major steps in the development of genetic and increase profitability in this Cashmere goat population.