GENETIC-PARAMETERS FOR GROWTH-PERFORMANCE OF THE MALAYSIAN LOCAL GOATS AND THEIR CROSSBREDS WITH THE GERMAN (IMPROVED) FAWN GOATS

Growth performance data of the local goats of Malaysia and their cross breds with the German (Improved) Fawn gears were analysed using anima models with maternal effects, in order to estimate additive genetic an d crossbreeding parameters. Two different generic models, the Dickerso n (1969, 1973) model and the Kinghorn (1980, 1983) model, were used to estimate crossbreeding parameters. Coefficients of additive breed, he terosis (dominance), and recombination (epistatic) loss were fitted in the animal models as covariates. In general, the individual breed eff ects for birth, 6-month, and 9-month a eights, and maternal breed effe cts for traits until weaning, were significant, indicating large diffe rences for growth performance between the German Fawn and the local br eeds. Heterosis effects by the Dickerson model were small and non-sign ificant, while dominance effects by the Kinghorn model, for some of tr aits, were large and significant. Highly significant individual recomb ination loss effects by the Dickerson model and epistatic loss effects by the Kinghorn model, were obtained for birth and 9-month weights. T he estimates of total heritability, by an animal model incorporating m aternal effects were moderate (0.18-0.35). The differences between her itabilities, estimated by different genetic models (the Dickerson mode l vs. the Kinghorn model), were small.