Reproductive doe traits of the Nubian (Zaraibi) goats in Egypt

Nubian does from the hot arid climate of upper Egypt were evaluated for productive and reproductive traits under Nile Delta (lower Egypt) conditions, The mean values for age at first kidding, abortion rate, and mortality rate were 691 days, 1.4 and 26.8\%, respectively. Corresponding values for litter size at birth and weaning were 2.9 and 2.3 kids, respectively, and for litter weight at birth and weaning were 4.9 and 25.3 kg, respectively. The lifetime production per doe for kid weight at birth and weaning were 19.8 and 83.7 kg. respectively. Does kidding in November-December surpassed (P < 0.05) those in February-March for age at first kidding, kidding interval, abortion rate and kilogram kids produced at weaning/doe lifetime, while those of February-March births surpassed those of November-Decernber in kilogram kids produced at birth/doe lifetime (P < 0,05). Effects of time of birth were significant for the age at first kidding, kidding interval and kilogram kids produced at birth and at weaning/doe lifetime, as well as abortion rate and litter size at birth. Age at first kidding (P < 0.05), kidding interval, abortion and mortality rates were lowest for dams born as single, while kilogram kids produced at birth (P < 0.05) and at weaning/doe lifetime were highest. Effects of type of birth were significant for the age at first kidding and for kilogram kids produced at birth/doe lifetime. In general, abortion and mortality rates in dams, litter size and weight values at birth and at weaning, kilogram kids produced at birth and at weaning/doe lifetime increased with parity. Effects of parity were significant for abortion rate, mortality rate, litter size at weaning, litter weights at birth and at weaning and kilogram kids produced at birth and at weaning/doe lifetime and litter size at birth. The effect of sex of the kids was significant on kilogram kids produced at weaning/doe lifetime and litter weight at weaning, Effects of year of birth were significant for age at first kidding, abortion rate, mortality rate, litter size at weaning. litter weights at birth and at weaning and kilogram kids produced at birth and at weaning/doe lifetime and litter size at birth. The present study shows that conditions at the Nile are favourable for raising Nubian goats due to increased potential for reproductive rate. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.