Comparison of production performance and tolerance to helminthosis of toggenburg and Norwegian crossbred goats under smallholder production systems in Tanzania
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Date
2015-08
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Group
Abstract
This study was carried out to compare the growth rate, lactation
performance and tolerance to gastrointestinal nematode infection
of Toggenburg and Norwegian breeds in Kongwa district,
Tanzania with a semi-arid environment and Mvomero district with
a sub-humid environment. Milk production of does, nematode
eggs per gramme of faeces (EPG) and packed cell volume (PCV)
were recorded for one year in 57 Toggenburg crosses and 72
Norwegian crosses raised by 107 small-scale farmers in the two
districts. Kid body weights and mortality were recorded for 65
kids. Kid birth weights of Norwegian crosses (3.07 ± 0.13 kg) and
Toggenburg crosses (2.91 ± 0.14) were not significantly different
(P > 0.05). The growth rate of Norwegian crossbred kids from birth
to one year (54.26 ± 4.33 g/day) was lower than that of
Toggenburg crossbreds (61.50 ± 4.38 g/day). Toggenburg
crossbred does produced slightly higher average daily milk yield
(0.81 ± 0.08 l/day) compared to Norwegian crossbred does (0.64 ±
0.09 l/day). Norwegian crosses had higher mean EPG (211.78 ±
0.02) and lower PCV (23.93 ± 0.96%) than the Toggenburg crosses
(129.51 ± 0.02 EPG and 26.71 ± 0.99% PCV). It is concluded that
the Toggenburg crosses are relatively better suited to the
smallholder production environments in rural areas of Tanzania
compared to the Norwegian crosses.
Description
Keywords
Dairy goats, Growth rate, Milk production, Nematode infection