Co-Twin Sex Effects on Fitness and Performance in Young Meat Goat Does
Abstract
This study examined if sex of the co-twin influenced reproductive and health traits in meat goat does. Does born as twins (n = 382) from 2003-2022 in the Tennessee State University Research herd were evaluated for growth, health, and reproductive traits. The study does represented several breed-types. Does were classified as having a female co-twin or male co-twin and entered the breeding herd as two-year-olds. Females born with a male co-twin weighed less (P < 0.01) at birth and at weaning compared to cohorts born with a female co-twin. Over two production years, Breeding weight, kidding rate, weaning rate, survival rate, packed cell volume, and fecal egg counts at kidding and weaning were not influenced by co-twin category. Females with a male co-twin had lower FEC during breeding. The interaction of co-twin category with litter size weaned for weaning PCV (P < 0.05) and FEC (P< 0.01), showed does with a male co-twin who weaned singles had higher PCV counts and lower FEC counts. Over two production years, there was a tendency (P = 0.10) for does, with a male co-twin tended to wean less kid(s) than a doe with a female co-twin. In summary, male co-twins reduced early early doe growth traits, and had variable effects on young doe fitness traits. Further studies following the does as they age may reveal more of the sex of co-twin effects on doe fitness.
Subject Area
Animal sciences|Food Science
Recommended Citation
Christian Alexandra Landskroener,
"Co-Twin Sex Effects on Fitness and Performance in Young Meat Goat Does"
(2024).
ETD Collection for Tennessee State University.
Paper AAI31141323.
https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/dissertations/AAI31141323