Goat genetic and phenotypic variation of body measurement traits in a sample of the Venezuelan creole goat population

Abstract

Variation within a given population is due basically to environmental and genetic deviations among the individuals. Genetic deviations are heritable and therefore the base for selection. In animal production, reproduction of outstanding individuals is allowed in a higher degree to improve forthcoming generations. The genetic variation is a property of genes influencing the traits and genes frequency may change among populations, basically due to genetic drift and animal husbandry. Phenotypic and genetic variation of morphological quantitative traits was estimated in the Venezuelan Creole goat population. The additive direct genetic variation or heritable fraction out of the total phenotypic variance found in this study is indicative that most traits evaluated can be improved through selection which should be taken into consideration in any breeding program.