Evaluation of Relationships Between Some Growth Traits Measured at Birth and Weaning in South African Non-Descript Goat Kids using Canonical Correlation Analysis

Corresponding Author: Thobela Louis Tyasi School of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Department of Agricultural Economics and Animal Production, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, Limpopo, South Africa Email: louis.tyasi@ul.ac.za Abstract: The study was conducted to assess the association among 6 different growth traits viz; X setBirth Weight (BW), Heart Girth (HG), Rump Height (RH), Sternum Height (SH), Body Length (BL), Withers Height (WH), assessed at birth and viz; Y SetHeart Girth (HG_3), Body Length (BL_3), Rump Height (RH_3), Weaning Weight (WW), Withers Height (WH_3), Sternum Height (SH_3) at weaning Measured in fifty (n = 50) non-descript goat kids. Pearson’s correlation and canonical correlation analysis were employed, outcome of Pearson’s highlighted that BW had a positive highly statistical correlation with WW (r = 0.85**), WH_3 (r = 0.61**) and SH_3 (r = 0.83**) at P < 0.01. Results of canonical correlation showed an estimated canonical correlation coefficient (r = 0.881) that was significant among the first pair of canonical variables (P < 0.01). The results indicated that WH and HG had a greater contribution to the explanatory capacity of canonical correlation estimation at birth while BL_3 and RH_3 contributed mostly at weaning of non-descript goats. The findings of the study suggest that the heart girth and withers height might be used at birth as criteria for genetic improvement in non-descript goat kid’s selection.