Path coefficient and path analysis of body weight and biometric traits in indigenous goats

The study was conducted in Sekhukhune District of the Limpopo province, South Africa where the goats between the ages of 20 and 30 months were used. A total of 613 indigenous goats of both sexes (62 male and 551 female) were selected and body weight and four morphological traits were taken on each goat in the morning before they were released for grazing. Means, standard deviations (SD) and coefficients of variation (CV) were calculated. Pair wise correlations among body weight and morphological traits were also determined which ranged from 0.81-0.91 for male and 0.72-0.89 for female goats, respectively and were statistically significant (P