EVALUATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED CENTRAL HIGHLAND GOATS BREEDING PROGRAM IN WESTERN SHOA ZONE, CENTRAL HIGHLAND OF ETHIOPIA

The study was conducted on a community-based CHL goat breeding program (CBBP) established in 2013 in Meta Wolkite district, West Shoa zone. This study aimed to evaluate the performance progress so far achieved due to the genetic improvement intervention by CBBP and estimate genetic parameters of the growth performance. The General Linear Model Procedures in the Statistical Analysis System (SAS, 2002 version 9.0) were employed for quantitative traits and SPSS (SPSS, 2007 version 16.0) was used for categorical traits. The heritability, genetic correlations, and phenotypic correlations among the body weight at different ages of kids were also analyzed using WOMBAT software (Meyer, 2007). According to the current study, after the intervention, birth weights were decreased through all implementation of CBBP year. Three-month weight, six-month, and yearling weights were improved from 2013 to 2015, while after that there was decreased from year to year. Age at first kidding (AFK), kidding interval (KI), and litter size (LS) under the practice of CBBP were 369±26.9days, 260.82±5.99days, and 1.57±0.02, respectively. Heritability (h2 ) estimates for BWT, 3MW, 6MW and YWT were 0.022±0.015, 0.091±0.087, 0.429±0.14 and 0.499±0.069 respectively. The genetic correlation of BWT & 3MW, BWT & 6MW, BWT & YWT, 3MW & 6MW, 3MW & YWT, 6MW & YWT were 0.163, -0.106, 0.111, 0.927, 0.896 and 0.904, respectively. The phenotypic correlation of BWT & 3MW, BWT & 6MW, BWT & YWT, 3MW & 6MW, 3MW & YWT; 6MW & YWT were 0.422, 0.302, 0.142, 0.536, 0.341 and 0.725, respectively. From the study, it was concluded that the CBBP had improved the prolificacy, flock size, and revenue of CBBP members. However, reductions in growth performance need attention. It was recommended that Capacity development activities must be done in the areas of the importance of identification, record keeping, management, and use of selected breeding bucks to be strengthened.