ENVIRONMENTAL-EFFECTS ON FLEECE AND BODY TRAITS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIAN ANGORA-GOATS

Data on fleece traits and body weight of South Australian Angora goats were collected from 1979 to 1984. Traits studied were greasy and clean fleece weights, oven-dry yield, fibre diameter, staple length, percentage of medullated fibres, kemp score, face cover score and body weight. Estimates of the effects of some environmental factors on these traits were made for two groups of animals. The first comprised kid and yearling females and males, whereas the second consisted of females ranging in age from 6 to 73 months of age. Year of birth significantly influenced all fleece traits and body weight of 6 and 13-month-old females and males, whereas age of animal was a significant source of variation for all traits except staple length and percentage of medullated fibres. Neither age of dam nor type of birth had a significant effect on any of the kid or yearling traits. Age of animal had a significant effect on all fleece traits and body weight of females observed from 6 to 73 months of age. The mean greasy fleece weight of females increased from 0.73 kg at 6 months to 1.46 kg at 73 months, whereas mean body weight increased from 18.1 kg to 37.7 kg over the same period. The mean fibre diameter increased from 26.7 microns at 13 months to 35.5 microns at 73 months. No consistent trend with age of female was present for either oven-dry yield or staple length. These results suggest that comparisons among young goats of the same sex for fleece traits and body weight should be based on production records adjusted for age of animal, but not necessarily for age of dam or type of birth. Comparisons among females of varying age should take account of the effects of age of animal on fleece traits and body weight. © 1990.