Variabilité des caractères morphologiques mesurables de la chèvre Djallonké dans les zones agro-écologiques du Togo

Abstract

Variability of Measurable Morphological Characters of the West African Dwarf Goats (WAD goats) in the Agro-ecological Areas of Togo In Togo, small ruminants play a very important socio - economic - cultural role. Goats are the most numerically important compared to sheep. The most encountered goat breeds in this side of Africa are the West African Dwarf goats (WAD goats). Traditionally, extensive raising methods used for this race favors anarchic cross breeding and may constitute a real threat for the race. However, only few studies have been carried on to characterize this race, which exists in all Agro-ecological regions of the country, and also in the neighboring countries. In this study, surveys have carried on in the six Agro-ecological regions (Coastal, Forest, Guinea-Savannah, Atakora, Dry forest, and Sudan). 330 goats in total, including 35 males, were randomly selected in farms and were subject to measurements. Data have been analyzed using variance analysis (ANOVA) and multivariate analysis (PCA and AFD). These methods resulted in the means of morphological - biometric parameters, like: height at the withers (41.56 ± 3.66 cm), scapular ischial length (50.62 ± 4.55 cm), chest (61.28 ± 5.40 cm), horn length (6.52 ± 2.22 cm), ear length (9.42 ± 0.90 cm) tail length (9 17 ± 1.12 cm), hair length (2.55 ± 1.05 cm) and body weight (17.51 ± 4.43 kg). These figures are the same for this race in comparison to those found by other authors in the sub – region

Keywords

• Crossings
• measurable
• morphological
• west african dwarf goat
• Togo