Effect of Breed on Weekly Body Weight and Morphometric Traits of Nigerian Goats

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of breed on weekly body weight and morphometric traits of Nigerian goats.A total of 36 weaner goats of two breeds (West African dwarf, n=18; 9 males + 9 females) and Red Sokoto goats, n=18; 9 males + 9 females) of about 3-4 months of age were used for the experiment and the treatments comprise of 2 breeds.Data collected were body weight, body length, withers height, chest girth, chest depth, rump height, cannon circumference, chest width, hind leg length, fore leg length, and ear length.The data on body weight and morphometric were analysed using Statistix Analytical software, file version 8.0.Where significant differences were observed, means were compared using T-test.The results indicated that breed had significant (P<0.05)effect in some morphometric traits throughout the 8 weeks of the experiments with Red Sokoto breed having significantly higher values.The conclusion drawn from the study is that the Red Sokoto breed possesses superior morphometric traits, which could be attributed to its genetic potential and adaptability.This suggests that the breed is well-suited for specific agricultural practices and may offer advantages in terms of growth performance.It is recommended that farmers focus on breeding programs that prioritize the Red Sokoto breed due to its advantageous morphometric traits.This could enhance productivity and profitability in goat farming.