Heritabilities and genetic correlations for live weight and fibre traits in New Zealand Cashmere goats

Abstract Data were obtained at Whatawhata on the growth of goats to the yearling stage and on their cashmere production as hoggets. There were 884 animals recorded from the 1985 to 1989 birth years, comprising the progeny of 60 sires. Records from kid shearings were also obtained in the last two years. Mixed-model restricted maximum likelihood (REML) models were fitted. Heritabilities from yearling fleece records were 0.42±0.13 for fleece weight, 0.57±0.15 for yield, 0.62±0.15 for down weight, 0.35±0.12 for guard hair weight, 0.99±0.19 for down fibre diameter and 0.57±0.15 for mean down length; corresponding values from kid fleeces (23 sires only) were smaller in most cases than from yearlings, being respectively 0.14±0.06, 0.19±0.07, 0.20±0.07, 0.04±0.04, 0.19±0.07 and 0.87±0.29. The phenotypic and genotypic correlations between down weight and fibre diameter in yearlings were 0.50±0.03 and 0.81±0.08 respectively, representing an unfavourable relationship when selecting for heavier but finer down. The genetic correlations of yearling weight with down weight and down fibre diameter were slightly negative (−0.34 and −0.25), but the estimates were non-significant.