Assessments of Udder Size and Milk Yield of West African Dwarf (WAD) Goats Reared Under Semi Intensive Management System in Humid Nigeria

Abstract

Studies on udder size of twenty lactating doe of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were conducted to determine their Partial Daily Milk yield (PDM). Data were collected for the first twenty five days of lactation on daily basis Udder and teat traits studied were udder length (UL), udder width (UW), udder circumference (UC), teat length (TL), teat width (TW)I teat, circumference (C), teat height from ground (THG), and distance between the teat (DBT). The results of the study showed that there was a significant and high positive phenotypic correlation (P<0.05) between udder and teat traits. Regression analysis revealed that udder circumference (UC) was the most important single measurement accounted for over 22 percent of variation of partial Daily Milk yield (PDM) in this breed of goat. Hence, in predicting milk yield udder circumference is therefore not recommended to farmers. The multiple regression analysis reveals that yield and udder width were significant at both linear, Quadratic and cubic function while udder length was significant at quadratic and cubic functions.