Risk factors impacting kid survival of Black Bengal goats raised in field condition of West Bengal, India

INTRODUCTIONIndia boasts the largest reservoir of livestock genetic diversity globally, with 34 registered goat breeds [10].Among these, the Black Bengal Goat, a native of West Bengal, is a dwarf breed renowned for its adaptability, high fertility, prolificacy, excellent meat quality, and superior skin texture [2].This breed thrives in hot and humid conditions and is known for producing twins or triplets.In goat husbandry, kid survival is a critical health trait and a key determinant of productivity.High survivability among kids significantly contributes to the economic success of goat farming.However, early mortality reduces the number of animals available for future breeding and marketable purposes.After birth, kids encounter several physiological, behavioural, and immunological challenges [6].Survival ABSTRACT: Kid mortality due to various factors leads to substantial economic losses for goat farmers.This study assessed the survival rates of Black Bengal goat kids from birth to 12 months, analyzing data from 11,996 kids raised across different agro-climatic clusters in West Bengal, India, over the period 2010-2021.Birth weight, cluster, year and season of birth, type of birth, sex, and parity of kidding were considered as key variables.At birth, the survival rate was recorded at 99.86%, with 90.96% of kids surviving through the critical period of up to 3 months.The overall survival rate by 12 months was 85.55%.The significant factors influencing survival up to 3 months, identified through maximum-likelihood analysis of variance, included birth weight, cluster, season of birth, sex, and type of birth.Among the clusters, the Jalpaiguri cluster exhibited the highest survival rate up to 3 months (98.70%), followed by Jhargram (95.82%),Sundarban (93.47%),Murshidabad (87.03%), and Nadia (86.95%).These variations were linked to differences in agroclimatic conditions, availability of grazing pastures, and environmental factors.Kids born during summer showed a higher survival rate (92.14%) compared to those born in other seasons.Furthermore, kids with a birth weight exceeding 1.5 kg exhibited the highest survival rate (86.28%) up to 12 months.The findings highlight the potential to improve goat productivity by adopting enhanced management practices and prioritizing the selection of larger kids at birth.