Abstract :
Genetic parameters and (co)variance components were estimated for weights at birth and
at 30, 90 and 180 days of age for Draa goat maintained at Ouarzazate station over a period
of 18 years (1988–2005). Records of 1498 kids, the progeny of 46 sires and 404 dams were
used in the study. Analyseswere carried out by restricted maximum likelihood. Six different
animal models including or ignoring maternal genetic or permanent environmental effects
were fitted for all traits. The Model 2 with only permanent environmental maternal effects
seemed most suitable. Estimates of direct heritability from this model were 0.16 for birth
weight and 0.07, 0.11 and 0.11 for weights at 30, 90 and 180 days, respectively. Maternal
heritability estimates varied from 0.00 to 0.24 for all traits according to the model used
(Models 4–6). Bivariate analysis by Model 2 was also used to estimate genetic correlations
between traits. The estimates of genetic and phenotypic correlations among weights were
positive and intermediate to high in value. Despite the low estimated heritabilities of body
weight traits of Draa goat, there is a small genetic variability that may be exploited to
improve growth performance.
