Phenotypic Characterization of Indigenous Goats in East Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State

This study was conducted with the objective of phenotypic characterization of indigenous goats in East Arsi Zone, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study was conducted based on visual observation and field measurements on which randomly selected 600 adult goats of both sexes from age 1PPI to 4PPI in three agro-ecologies (lowland, midland and highland). Age was estimated by dentation. Visually assessed qualitative traits data were analyzed using SPSS version 20 and then described by descriptive statistics. However, quantitative trait data were analyzed using the GLM procedures of SAS 9.3. (2014). Majority (58.1%) of the goats in this study area had uniform coat color pattern, black with white, white, brown and red with white coat color types. The dominant goat populations were horned with most horns backward orientation and straight. Agro-ecology had highly significant (p<0.01) effect on body weight and most of linear body measurements except for ear length, cannon bone length, cannon bone circumference and rump length. Age group had highly significant difference (P<0.01) on all of linear body measurements and body weight. Sex of goats had significant effect (p<0.05) on body weight and most of the body measurements. Body weight was significantly (P<0.01) correlated with most of continuous traits for both sexes. The most important variable for predicting body weight was chest girth in both sexes (81%) for does and (93%) for bucks. The goat population in the study area showed phenotypic variation. Characterization which is done only at phenotypic level is not enough to clearly sate the variation; so that, characterizing at molecular level is important to provide sufficient information and to identify the existing goat breeds in this study area.