Vol. 10, Issue 9, Part B (2025)

Author(s): Nagendra A Mule, Chauhan DS, Thombre BM and Shinde AT

Abstract: Osmanabadi goats play a vital role in rural livelihoods, contributing to meat, milk, fiber, and manure production. This study investigates growth-related morphometric traits in 765 goats across age groups from their native breeding tract, with a focus on biometric variability and inter-trait relationships. Seven traits—body weight (BW), chest girth (CG), wither height (WH), body length (BL), rump height (RH), ear length (EL), and horn length (HL)—were measured and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation coefficients. Rump height exhibited the highest mean (70.105 cm) and greatest variability (SE = 3.748), while horn length showed minimal development and weak associations with other traits. Strong positive correlations were observed among BW, WH, and CG (r = 0.96, 0.85, and 0.85, respectively), indicating their predictive value for body mass and structural conformation. Moderate correlations were noted between BW and BL, RH, and EL, while HL consistently demonstrated low coefficients, suggesting its limited utility in phenotypic assessment. These findings underscore the importance of WH and CG as reliable indicators for selection and breed characterization in Osmanabadi goats.