Study In Effects Of Partial Reproductive Traits On Fleece Traits Of Inner Mongolia Cashmere Goats

The present study was aimed at investigating the genetic regulations of reproduction traits and attempting to improve the reproductive performance of Inner Mongolia White cashmere goats. Data of breeding records (1998-2013), birth records (1998-2013) and fleece records (2008-2011) were used to study the effects of breeding date on litter size, to estimate genetic parameters of production characters and to preliminarily investigate the relationship between reproductive traits and fleece traits. The results show: (1)The maximum litter size per lambing (1.76±0.42) was occurred in the mating cycle from September 29 to October 16, followed by October October 17 to November 3 (1.62±0.49), meanwhile the onset and the peak of heat were October. So in October considered to be the best breeding stage for Inner Mongolia White cashmere goats.(2)The heritability of litter size, birth weight, weaning weight, litter weight at birth and gestation length belongs to medium to low. The phenotypic and genetic correlativity between litter size and other traits were also considered. For birth weight, both correlation coefficients were found to be negative (-0.12 and -0.25), but for weaning weight and litter weight at birth, strongly positive correlations (0.47-0.60) were noted. So, the bigger the litter size, the lighter the birth weight and the heavier the weaning weight and litter weight.(3)According to the genetic correlations between reproductive traits and fleece traits, litter size was negatively correlated with fiber length (-0.1092), but positively correlated with fiber diameter (0.1063). Lamb birth weight demonstrated strongly negative correlation with staple length (-0.9662), medium to low correlation with staple diameter (0.1281), and strongly positive correlation with fiber length (0.9877). The correlation between yearling weight and staple diameter was medium to low as well as the correlation between yearling weight and fiber diameter. Therefore, reasonable scheme of mating can be made to select litter size and birth weight, consequently, fleece quality of Inner Mongolia...