IMPROVEMENT EFFECT OF CROSSBREEDING
BOER GOATS AND SICHUAN NATIVE GOATS
P. Jiabi, D. Zegao, C. Taiyong, G. Jiyun
Heifer Project International/China Office, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
ABSTRACT
The crossbred F1 generation between Boer goats and six local breeds (Chengdu Ma goat, etc.) and
one reared breed (Nanjiang Yellow goat) increases birth weight, four month weight, six month
weight, yearling weight and adult weight by 37.10%, 49.70%, 66.29%, 77.85%, 68.41% for males
and by 41.62%, 47.21%, 60.03%, 61.78%, 67.06% for females, compared with those of local purebred goats. Crossbred F1 male goats averaged 11.16Kg in carcass weight, 8.71Kg in meat weight, 47.11% in dressing percentage, 36.31% in meat percentage at four to eight-months-old, increasing by 49.30%, 53.89%, 21.41%, 12.59%, respectively, compared with the local breed at the same age.
Key words: Goat, Crossbreeding improvement, Gowth, Carcass weight
Since the Boer goat was introduced in Sichuan province from S. Africa in 1997, this breed has
extended to over 50 counties of Sichuan for crossbreeding with the local breeds to improve their
quality. Over one million crossbred goats with half Boer blood made a considerable effect in quality
improvement of local breeds. The meat production of the whole Sichuan province increased and the
industrialization of goat production was sped up.
The following is the result of crossbreeding and quality improvement.
1. BOER GOAT CROSSING WITH RENSHOU GOAT (B×R)
Renshou Goats have been a closed-breeding flock for a long time, whose progenitor was far from
that of Boer goat, so that the hybrid vigor between the two breeds is prominent. F1 generation
(B×R) of male averaged 3.21Kg for birth weight, 23.72Kg for four-month weight, 30.69Kg for sixmonth weight, 49.95Kg for yearling weight, and 69.36Kg for adult weight, increasing by 50.00%,
68.13%, 79.47%, 91.41%, and 71.88%, respectively, (it would be of interest to know how many
goats were included in this calculation. You could say {n=xx} at this point in the text.) compared
with the local breed at the same age; while females averaged 3.06Kg for birth weight, 20.81Kg for
four-month weight, 27.04Kg for six-month weight, 40.50Kg for yearling weight, and 50.91Kg for
adult weight, increasing by 50.74%, 62.62%, 70.92%, 78.72%, and 64.96%, respectively, compared with the local breed at the same age. Four-month-old male kids reached 11.46Kg of carcass weight, 8.88Kg of meat weight, 49.22% of dressing percentage, and 38.07% of meat percentage, 92.28%, 23.71%, 23.05%, and 28.53%, respectively higher than those of local breed of the same age. (Xiong Chaorui, et al.) The effect of crossbreeding was significant.
2. BOER GOAT CROSSING WITH JIANYANG BIG-EAR GOAT (B×J)
Jianyang Big-ear goats developed from crossbreeding Nubian with local breeds, have a big size, high survival rate, and high meat production. Jianyang Goat Meat Soup is famous for its rich flavor and good taste all over China. This crossbreeding with Boer goat is actually the three-way cross, which brings new blood into the Jianyang Big-ear goat. F1 generation (B×J) males averaged 3.23Kg for - 184 - birth weight, 23.84Kg for four-month weight, 30.82Kg for six-month weight, 49.20Kg for yearling weight, and 68.03Kg for adult weight, increasing by 39.02%, 67.60%, 50.20%, 61.00%, and 64.93%, respectively, compared with Jianyang Big-ear goats at the same age; while females averaged 3.15Kg for birth weight, 20.96Kg for four-month weight, 27.19Kg for six-month weight, 41.04Kg for yearling weight, and 52.07Kg for adult weight, increasing by 37.55%, 68.75%, 49.81%, 66.10%, and 69.20% respectively, compared with Jianyang Big-ear goat of the same age. Four-month-old male kids reached 10.14Kg of carcass weight, 7.84Kg of meat weight, 46.05% of dressing percentage, and 35.87% of meat percentage, 45.06%, 51.06%, 5.1%, and 9.39%, respectively, higher than those of Jianyang Big-ear goats of the same age. (Chen Tianbao, et al.) The effect of crossbreeding was significant.
3. BOER CROSSING WITH CHENGDU MA GOAT (B×M)
Chengdu Ma goats are a local fine breed for both meat and skin, with tender meat texture, compact
skin, and 6% milk fat, which is famous around Asia. F1 generation (B×M) of male averaged
2.93Kg for birth weight, 16.12Kg for four-month weight, 23.17Kg for six-month weight, and
55.33Kg for yearling weight, increasing by 44.33%, 37.78%, 76.87%, and 112.81%, respectively,
compared with Chengdu Ma goat of the same age; while females averaged 2.96Kg for birth weight,
14.96Kg for four-month weight, 17.17Kg for six-month weight, and 30.83Kg for yearling weight,
increasing by 52.58%, 43.16%, 47.28%, and 54.15%, respectively, compared with Chengdu Ma
goats of the same age. Eight-month-old male goats reached 12.55Kg of carcass weight, 9.86Kg of
meat weight, 49.70% of dressing percentage, and 39.05% of meat percentage, 56.29%, 64.33%,
9.23%, and 13.88%, respectively higher than those of Chengdu Ma goat of the same age. (He
Mingyang, et al.) The effect of crossbreeding was significant.
4. BOER CROSSBREEDING WITH NANJIANG YELLOW GOAT (B×N)
Nanjiang Yellow goats were first cultivated for meat in China. They possess a big size, steady
genetic character, hardy ability, and good meat production. At the earlier stage, growth is slow.
Introduction of Boer blood into Nanjiang Yellow was the ideal and feasible project to increase its
meat production. F1 generation (B×N) males averaged 2.67Kg for birth weight, 15.15Kg for fourmonth weight, 18.50Kg for six-month weight, and 22.56Kg for eight-month weight, increasing by 34.17%, 25.10%, 25.17%, and 26.46%, respectively, compared with Nanjiang Yellow goats of the same age; while females averaged 2.44Kg for birth weight, 13.84Kg for four-month weight, 17.74Kg for six-month weight, and 22.56Kg for eight-month weight, increasing by 41.04%, 14.29%, 23.54%, and 19.56%, respectively, compared with Nanjiang Yellow goats of the same age. Eight-month-old male goats reached 10.49Kg of carcass weight, 8.19Kg of meat weight, 43.69% of dressing percentage, 16.04%, 29.63%, and 1.51%, respectively, higher than those of Nanjiang Yellow goats of the same age. Meat percentage of the hybrid offspring stays at the same level with the Nanjiang Yellow goat (Chen Sen, et al). (
) The above data show that the growth of crossbred F1 generation (B×N) is superior to that of Nanjiang Yellow goat, with increased meat production to some extent, retaining the advantage of tender and juicy meat texture. However, further research needs to be conducted to seek how much Boer blood should be introduced into the local breed for the best result.
5. BOER CROSSING WITH LEZHI BLACK GOAT (B×L)
Lezhi Black goat, a local breed in the center of Sichuan province, is kept widely in large numbers,
with a big size, good meat production. It is an important project to crossbreed Lezhi Black goat with
Boer goat, so as to improve meat productivity. The average birth weight of F1 generation (B×N)
- 185 - reached 3.33Kg for male and 3.24Kg for female, increasing by 22.88% and 25.10%, respectively, compared with that of the local breed of the same age; six-month-old F1(B×N) weighed 30.45Kg for males and 27.10Kg for females, 44.24% and 36.46%, respectively, higher than that of the local goats of the same age; the yearling F1(B×N) weighed 45.36Kg and 42.17Kg, 14.86% and 11.86% higher than that of local breed of the same age, respectively. Six-month-old male goats reached 11.20Kg of carcass weight, 8.78Kg of meat weight, 46.47% dressing percentage, and 36.43% meat percentage, 36.92%, 49.07%, 2.83% and 11.95%, respectively, higher than those of Lezhi Black goats of the same age (Zhou Guangming, et al). Hybrid vigor was achieved to some extent.
6. BOER CROSSING WITH JIALING GOAT (B×J)
It is necessary to crossbreed Jialing goat with Boer to improve the quality of meat production,
because Jialing is the major Black breed in the central part of Sichuan province. The male F1 (B×J)
averaged 2.53Kg for birth weight, 27.72Kg for six-month weight, and 42.94Kg for yearling weight,
increasing by 36.76%, 93.72%, and 106.14% respectively compared with those of Jialing goat; while females averaged 2.32Kg, 22.01Kg, and 34.26Kg, 43.21%, 74.27%, and 76.51% higher,
respectively, than the Jialing goat (Qin Duan, et al). The above results indicate that crossbred F1
(B×J) show significance in body weight gain for different growth periods.
7. BOER CROSSING WITH YINGSHAN BLACK GOAT (B×Y)
Yingshan Black goat, a local breed from central Sichuan province, is prolific and early maturing,
with tender meat texture, however with one shortcoming of small body size. Also it is famous for
tasty Yingshan goat meat soup. Using Boer goats, with a big body size, to crossbreed with Yingshan
shows high value in increasing body weight and meat production. Birth weight of F1 (B×J) averaged
2.51Kg for males and 2.36Kg for females, 38.67% and 48.43% higher respectively than that of
Yingshan Black goats of the same age; Six-month weight averaged 27.33Kg for males and 25.11Kg for females, increasing by 94.38% and 118.00%, respectively, over Yingshan goats at the same age. Yearlings averaged 37.26Kg and 34.15Kg for males and females, respectively, 80.70% and 85.30% higher (Bai Dengliang, et al). The above data shows a significant improvement of body size and meat production.
8. CONCLUSIONS
According to the results from above mentioned Boer crossbreeding with seven local breeds, the
crossbred F1 goats grew faster than local breeds, with the advantages of better meat production, great potential of improvement in production, good mating ability ability, and significant hybrid vigor.
8.1 Growing faster. Crossbred F1 increased birth weight by an average of 37.10% and 41.62% for
males and females, respectively; 66.79% and 47.21%, respectively, for six-month weight; 77.85%
and 60.03%, respectively for yearling weight; and 68.41% and 67.06%, respectively, for adult
weight. Among those seven local breeds, Yingshan Black is the smallest by size, but body weight
gain of F1 (B×Y) was the biggest. So, Boer goats are suitable to be used to crossbreed with lowproduction goats and show superior results. Improved meat production: Carcass weight of crossbred F1 between Boer and local breeds averaged 11.16Kg (ranging from 10.14Kg to 12.55Kg) at four to eight months old, 49.30% higher than that of local breeds of the same age; meat production averaged 8.71Kg (ranging from 7.84Kg to 9.86Kg), 53.89% higher, respectively; Dressing percentage and meat percentage averaged 47.11% and 36.31%, 21.41% and 12.59% higher, respectively. Besides increased production, the quality of meat was also improved, represented by tender meat texture, rich protein and eighteen necessary amino acids for human.
8.3 Improving management and timely deworming can provide even more significant hybrid
vigor. Supplementary feeding to kids should be started with green grass and grain ten days after
birth. This produces a stimulating effect on the gastrointestinal tract development. Oral
Mebendazol provides an efficient way to deworm young goats.
8.4 Research on different varieties of crossings between Boer and local breeds needs to be
popularized to provide an additional basis for extending crossbreeding improvement and developing
fine quality meat goats.
