Abstract:
In order to understand the early growth law of Ziwuling black goat, A total of 136 healthy Ziyuling black goat lambs of similar birth age were selected for the study. Their newborn weight and body weight from 1 to 6 months of age were measured, and the average daily weight gain from birth to 4 months of age(weaning) and from 4 to 6 months of age, as well as the average daily weight gain and relative growth rate from 1 to 6 months of age were calculated. Then growth curves of lambs were fitted using Gompertz, Logistic and Von Bertalanffy models. The model with better fitting was selected from the three models to estimate body weight from birth to 6 month-old, monthly average daily gain, relative growth rate, inflection point weight, inflection point age and maximum daily gain of Ziwuling black goat lamb, and the cumulative growth curves, absolute growth curves and relative growth curves estimated by the model were analyzed in comparison with the measured ones.The results showed that the newborn weight, 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 months old weight of male lambs were higher than that of female lambs in Ziwuling black goats, but the differences were not significant(P>0.05); the average daily weight gain was(90.69±6.68) g for male lambs and(89.09±9.96) g for female lambs during the lactation period newborn to 4 months of age(weaning), while the average daily weight gain from 4 to 6 months of age decreased sharply to about 50% of the lactation period. The three models could well fit the growth curve of Ziwuling black goat lamb, and fit(R~2) was above 0.990 0, and the effect of fitting the growth curve of Ziwuling black goat male and female lamb with Von Bertalanffy model was better than Gompertz and Logistic model. The inflection point weights of male and female lambs predicted by Von Bertalanffy model were 5.44 kg and 5.43 kg respectively, and the inflection point days were 29.56 d and 31.85 d respectively. The weight of lambs shifted from measured values greater than the Von Bertalanffy model estimation at four months of age to estimated values greater than measured values at five months of age, and the absolute growth curve showed a significant decrease in daily weight gain after weaning. The above results showed that Von Bertalanffy model was more suitable for the early growth of Ziwuling black goat, and its weight fluctuation after weaning was related to weaning stress.