Phenotypic Characterization and Weight Prediction from Linear Body Measurement of 6-Months-Old Indonesian Etawah Grade Goats

Abstract

The Etawah Grade (EG) goat is one of Indonesia’s local breeds, serves a dual purpose by providing both dairy and meat. Understanding phenotypic characteristics and estimating body weight are crucial for improving production and marketing practices. The objective of this study was to analyze phenotypic characteristics and determine the best body weight predictor of EG goats. Coat color, Body Weight (BW), Body Length (BL), Body Height (BH), and Chest Girth (CG)) were measured on 3168 6-monthold EG goats. Descriptive statistics, t-test, correlation, and regression analysis were used to characterize phenotypic and estimated body weight from linear body measurements. The result showed that three primary coat color patterns were observed: black-white (86.40%), full black (11.24%), and brown-white (2.37%). Male and female EG goats have significantly different (P<0.01) body weight and body size. Strong correlations (r = 0.86–0.88) were identified between body measurements and body weight. The most accurate model for estimating body weight was BW = 0.309 BL + 0.205 BH + 0.399 CG – 32.811 (Adj. R² = 84.830%, RMSE = 1.771, MAPE = 6.442). It can be concluded that this study may contribute to increasing selection accuracy, optimizing breeding programs, and improving production strategies in EG goat farming.