STUDY ON NON-GENETIC FACTORS AFFECTING MORPHOMETRY OF MALABARI GOATS IN FARMERS FLOCKS IN KOZHIKODE DISTRICT

A study was undertaken to assess the effect of non-genetic factors on Malabari goats in their home tract.Data onbody weight of 116 Malabari goats were collected from the farmer’s flocks in perambra of Kozhikode district. The significance of non-genetic factors on the morphometry of goats wasanalysed using least-squares mixed models. Leastsquares means for body weights at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 month of age were 2.21±0.01,10.14±0.03,18.13±0.05,24.12±0.07 and 25.48±0.07kg, respectively. The average daily gain was 90g during pre-weaning period and 60.2g during post- weaning period. Sex, Type of birth,age of dam and year had significant effect on body weight of Malabari goats but the effect of season was insignifican