Effect of Body Condition Score on Feed Efficiency and Body Conformation of West African Dwarf Goats

The effect of body condition score (BCS) on feed efficiency and body conformation of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats (n= 40) was studied during a 105-day trial. The scores were: BCS-1: very thin, BCS-2: thin, BCS-3: good, BCS-4: fleshed and BCS-5: obese. BCS significantly (P<0.05) influenced the average body weight, residual feed intake, diagonal trunk length, heart girth, chest width, rump width, rump depth and robustness-2 index. BCS-3 group had an optimum score and mean genetic merit for body growth and development (a=22.78, P<0.05) among groups. BCS-3 and BCS-4 groups had significant correlations with feed efficiency and body conformation, which could serve as selection traits (R2=0.55-0.91, P<0.05). The study suggested that animals in BCS-3 and 4 groups could be selected based on feed efficiency and body conformation traits for specific breeding goals.