Performance of crossbred goats in the semi-arid Northeast of Brazil

The experiment was carried out to evaluated the reproductive traits of crossbred goats submitted to the semi-arid Notheast climate conditions. Data from 657 does kept in a native pasture and fed corn and soybean meal based diet, during the dry season, and 945 kids milked up 24 hours, were analyzed. The means for the does prolificacy and at kidding weight were respectively 1.69+.03 and 36.38+.03 kg for ½ Pardo Alpina (PA) + ½ Moxotó (MO), 1.59+.05 and 36.24+0.58 kg for ¾ PA + ¼ M0 and 1.78+.04 and 37.25+.46 kg for ½ Anglo-nubian + ¼ PA + ¼ MO (Tricross). The means for birth weight and at 28 days, at 56 days and at 84 days for the kids were respectively 2.26+.04; 4.02+.07; 6.93+.14 and 10.97+.03 kg, respectively, for 1/2 PA+1/2 MO; 2.46+.03; 4.32+.05; 7.85+.10 kg and 12.18+.19, and 2.46 + .03; 4.30+.04; 7.48+.09 and 11.86+0.17 kg, for Tricross. The crossbred does showed prolificacy similar to the native. The weight gain of kids ¾ PA + ¼ MO and Tricross were higher than for ½ PA + ½ MO, probably due to the higher percent of exotic blood in these genetic groups.

calving weight; daily weight gain; prolificacy; tricross