New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Estimates of environmental effects for liveweight and fleece characteristics of New Zealand cashmere goats

S-A. N. NEWMAN
D. J. PATERSON

AgResearch
Flock House Agricultural Centre
Private Bag 1900
Bulls 5452, New Zealand

Abstract  Liveweight and fleece characteristics were recorded over 6 years in a New Zealand cashmere goat flock. Traits examined were birth weight, weaning weight, spring liveweight, fleece weight, yield, down weight, fibre diameter, standard deviation of fibre diameter, and down length. Kid and hogget liveweight traits were affected by year, birth and rearing rank, sex, age of dam, and age of the goat at shearing. Hogget fleece weight was significantly affected by year, sex, age of dam, and age at shearing; however, only year effects were significant for hogget down weight and fibre diameter. Year and age effects were significant for all doe traits. Hoggets were consistently different from all older groups, and 2- and 3-year-old does varied from 4-year and older does. Phenotypic correlations between liveweight, fleece weight, down weight, and fibre diameter were all positive and of low-medium magnitude.

Keywords  goats; cashmere; environmental effects; phenotypic correlations; liveweight; fleece weight; yield; down weight; fibre diameter; down length

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1996, Vol. 39: 379-386

0028-8233/96/3903-0379 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1996

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (579K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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