scholarly journals Prediction of grasscutters (Thryonomis swinderianus) body weight from linear body measurements

2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 264-271
Author(s):  
A. J. Henry ◽  
S. N. Ibe ◽  
B. O. Asuquo

A study was conducted to investigate the relationship between linear body measurements (LBMs) and body weights of grasscutters at 2, 4 and 6 weeks of age. Simple linear correlation procedure was used to establish the strength of linear relationships and associations between the different linear body measurements with body weight. These parameters were also subjected to step-wise regression analysis. The goodness of fit (R2) was tested to determine the contribution of each independent variable measured to the prediction of the dependent variable, the body weight of grasscutters at different ages of 2, 4,6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 weeks. One hundred and thirty-nine (139) juvenile grasscutters obtained from 24 parents comprising of 18 does and 6 bucks were used for the study. Experimental animals were raised under a mixed feeding regime throughout the experimental period of 20 weeks. The linear body measurements assessed are head length (HL), body length (BL), heart girth (HG), ear length (EL) and tail length (TL). Correlation coefficients (r) between body measurements and weights were generally positive and significant (p < 0.01) at 2 weeks, demonstrating strong relationships between variables. At 4 weeks, correlation coefficients ranged from 0.013 to 0.829 whereas at 6 weeks values ranged from -0.230 to 0.859. Coefficient of determination (R2) varied from 0.926 to 0.997, 0.965 to 0.989 and 0.930 to 0.991 at 2, 4 and 6 weeks, respectively The positive correlation coefficients observed for body length and heart girth shows that these parameters can be improved upon for grasscutters raised under intensive management. Results from this study further revealed that body weight of grasscutters can be estimated under field condition using the ear,head, body lengths and heart girth in the absence of a weighing balance.

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-48
Author(s):  
A. J. Atansuyi ◽  
U. C. Ihendu ◽  
C. A. Chineke

This study was conducted to determine the growth performance, correlation and regression estimates of seven-chicken strains in South-western Nigeria using a total of 300 day-old chicks. The birds were divided into seven groups based on their strain. The seven strains are Normal feather (NF), Fulani ecotype (FE), Frizzle feather (FF), naked neck (NN) and Transylvania indigenous strains while Hubbard and Marshal were meat-type exotic chickens. There were forty- five (45) unsexed day-old chicks in each strain except the Frizzle feather that were 30 in number. Completely randomized design (CRD) was used for the trial that lasted for 8 weeks. The birds were fed experimental diets ad libitum throughout the period of the study. Results showed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the initial and final weights of the birds. It was observed that exotic strains weighed heavier (3569.73gHB) than their indigenous counterparts (1391.11gNF). However, the Fulani ecotype weighed heaviest (1840.99g) among Nigeria indigenous strains during the experimental period. This showed that FE strains are generally heavy breed chicken and could be incorporated into a meat producing indigenous chicken if improved upon. The result of the correlation coefficients showed that a very strong, positive and highly significant (P<0.001) relationship existed between body weights and linear body measurements as most of the values are (>0.40). All the body parameter examined had significant (p<0.01) and direct relationship with the body weight. Shoulder-to-tail length (STL) had the highest coefficient of 0.98.The high correlation estimates obtained in this study could be as a result of pleiotropy, heterozygosity or linkage of genes in the birds. The three functions were highly significant (p<0.05) for all the parameters studied. This shows that the functions well described the parameters. On the basis of coefficient of determination (R ), the body weight of poultry birds at any age can be predicted most accurately with BRG using cubic function.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-21
Author(s):  
B. I. Umoh ◽  
U. M. Okon ◽  
J. S. Ekpo

Body weight of animals in the rural areas has not been accurately ascertained due to lack of accurate measurement scales, hence this experiment. The study was conducted to determine the correlation between milk intake and body weight with linear body measurements in white Fulani calves raised in semi-intensive system of management. A total of seven (7) white Fulani calves managed semi-intensively was used for the study. The experiment lasted 12 weeks. The overall mean±SEM value for milk intake, body weight, neck circumference, neck length, body length, body circumference, girth circumference, height at wither and tail length were 1.20±0.40g, 5.18±1.02kg, 21.54±0.66cm, 13.23±0.21cm, 28.36±0.31cm, 36.41±0.43cm, 35.84±0.37cm, 35.87±0.43cm and 23.43±0.39cm respectively. There was significant (P<0.05) effect of lactation stage on all body measurements taken except for neck circumference and tail length. Correlation between all body pairs of measurements were high, positive and highly significant (P<0.05). The highest correlation was recorded for body length, body circumference, girth circumference and height at wither. Linear function provided the best fit for milk intake weight and linear body measurements indicating that body measurements can be used for selection and the estimation of body weight in the fields where accurate scales are not usually available. It is recommended that any of the body measurement parameters could be used in the estimation of the body weight. Also, an improvement of non-genetic factor such as nutrition and general husbandry of the animal as much as possible will bring about improvement in the body parameters as well as maintaining the animal's physiological balance.


Author(s):  
Sandeep Kumar ◽  
S. P. Dahiya ◽  
Z. S. Dahiya ◽  
C. S. Patil

Measurements of body conformation in sheep are of value in judging the quantitative characteristics of meat and also helpful in developing suitable selection criterion. Data on 349 Harnali sheep for body length (BL), body height (BH), heart girth (HG), paunch girth (PG), tail length (TL), head circumference (HC), ear length (EL), ear width (EW), face length (FL) and adult body weight (ABW) were analysed to study the relationship between linear body measurements and body weight. The mixed linear model with dam’s weight at lambing as covariate was used to study the effect of non-genetic factors on body measurements and body weight. High estimates of heritability were obtained for BL, BH, HG, TL, HC, EL, EW, FL and ABW while moderate estimate was obtained for PG. The phenotypic correlations of BL, BH, HG, PG, HC and FL with ABW were positive and significant (0.32±0.04 to 0.59±0.08). The genetic correlations of HG, PG, HC and FL with ABW were 0.51±0.13, 0.42±0.19, 0.44±0.13 and 0.43±0.15, respectively. Various combinations of linear type traits to predict ABW were found to have coefficient of determination as high as 0.92. It is concluded that heart girth is the most important trait for estimation of live weight in sheep and the prediction equation is Body weight = -63.72 + 1.23 HG with R2 = 0.87.


2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-177
Author(s):  
P. E. Nwaku ◽  
M. O. Otuma

The pre weaning growth performance of piglets from four different cross bred dams mated back to their native parents was studied in the Breeding and Research Farm of Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. Parameters like body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency as well as linear body measurements of body length, heart girth and height  at withers were taken and observed for growth between birth and weaning age of eight weeks. Results Results indicated significant differences (P<0.05) between the main backcross N x (N x LR) and the three other genotypes of N x (N x LW), N x (LR x N) and N x (LW x N) in all parameters. The mean birth weight of the progenies ranged from 1.00±0.60 to 1.60±5kg while the weaning weights were 10.5±0.4 to 16.0±1.0kg respectively. Results further revealed that body weight at weaning correlated responsively with all parameters and these include body length (r=0.858), heart girth (r= 0.446) and height at the withers (r= 0.946). Similarly, body length has a positive correlation with heart girth (r= 0.477) and height at the withers (r= 0.827) whereas hear girth correlated positively with the height at the withers (r= 0.494). Similar trend were obtained in the regression of each of the body measurements on the other in which bodyweight changes depended more on that of body length (0.86) than on heart girth (0.45). Judging from the observed variations existing among the piglets resulting from differnt crossbreed dams in their pre-weaning growth performance, maternal rather than paternal influences appeared to be more important in the traits studied.   


1970 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 8-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
AHMS Sylvia Rahman ◽  
MAMY Khandoker ◽  
SS Husain ◽  
AS Apu ◽  
A Mondal ◽  
...  

The present study was conducted at the Artificial Insemination Center, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to record the Black Bengal bucks morphology and to relate body weight with different body measurements. A total of 22 Black Bengal bucks of different ages were taken and were divided into six age groups (0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months). The body weight of Black Bengal bucks at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age were 1.21 ± 0.12, 4.26 ± 0.25, 7.68 ± 0.31, 12.76 ± 0.42, 16.56 ± 0.57 and 21.82 ± 0.70 kg respectively. Age had a significant effect (P<0.05) on heart girth, body length and height at wither (P<0.05) except the measurement of height at wither at 0 and 3 months. The measurement of fore and hind leg length, head length and width, ear length and breadth and also tail length differed significantly (P<0.05) between the age groups. The average scrotal circumferences (SC) were recorded as 4.85 ± 0.22, 10.35 ± 0.39, 15.42 ± 0.34, 18.05 ± 0.24, 19.72 ± 0.33 and 20.83 ± 0.41 cm at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age, respectively and differed significantly (P<0.05) with the advancement of age. Animals of the same age group supposed to be similar in conformation. Body weight was highly correlated (P<0.01) with heart girth (0.94), body length (0.95) and height at wither (0.96). DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjas.v37i2.9876 BJAS 2008; 37(2): 8-16


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
A. A. Adeoye

Data on body weight and linear body measurements collected from 101 America StandardChinchilla rabbits comprised of 62 females and 39 males at eight weeks were used todetermine the effect of sex and phenotypic correlations among the growth traits. Theestimates were statistically (p<0.05) higher in the female compared with male in virtually all the traits considered except in the fore arm length. The values for body weight, body length, ear length, tail length, fore arm length, heart girth and abdominal circumference for females were 1.19 kg, 31.97 cm, 10.67 cm, 9.89 cm, 15.61 cm, 21.61 cm and 23.75 cm, respectively while the corresponding values for males were 0.88 kg, 28.00 cm, 10.44 cm, 8.95 cm, 14.74 cm, 19.62 cm and 21.67 cm. The correlation between body weight and the linear body measurements was positively significant (p<0.05 and p<0.001) and ranged between 0.301 and 0.951 in males while in females positive and significant correlations were found between body weight and body length (0.831), tail length (0.184), heart girth (0.788) and abdominal circumference (0.719). The correlations among the linear body measurements in the males ranged between 0.108 and 0.951 while in females it ranged between -0.235 and 0.681. The positive relationships between body weight and linear body measurements can be used as basis for body weight selection in both male and female rabbits


2020 ◽  
pp. 13-17
Author(s):  
Ologbose F. I. ◽  
Mbara S. W.

Data on body weight and linear body measurements (LBMs) namely body height (BH), body length (BL), breast circumference (BC), thigh length (TL), bill length (BiL), wing length (WL) and shank length (SL) were taken from 120 ducks (i. e. 60 Muscovy and 60 Mallard ducks) at 4 and 8 weeks of age were analysed to obtain the phenotypic correlation between LBMs and body weight. The value of the pearson’s linear correlation coefficient to determine the level of relationship between the body weight and linear body measurement. This ranged from 0.488 (SL) – 0.996 (BH) and (0.729 (SL) – 0.996 (Bil) in Muscovy and Mallard duck at week 4 respectively. While, at week 8, the value of the pearson’s linear correlation coefficient ranges from 0.126 (Bil) – 0.960 (BL) and 0.735(BC) – 0.978 (BH) respectively. This positive and mostly significantly phenotypic relationship between the body weight and linear body measurements indicates that an improvement in one trait could leads to an improvement in the other. Correlation coefficients indicate the strength of a linear relation between traits and thus provide useful information about the traits involved for the purpose of breeding and improvement plan. This shows that favourable relationships exist among traits that have higher correlation coefficients, it further explains that such traits could be collectively included in the selection index to achieve positive phenotypic progress.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
I. O. Dudusola ◽  
E. A. Adeyemi ◽  
O. F. Oyeromi

A total of 168 two-weeks-old Japanese quail chicks of mixed sex were used to study the relationship between Body weight and linear measurements in Japanese quail. Data were collected on body weight, body length, body girth, wing length, shank length and drumstick length fortnightly for eight weeks to predict body weight. Data were subjected to SAS for analysis. The mean body weights were 38.31, 81.12, 121.38 and 132.15g, respectively. Body weight gain increased as the birds advance in age and the highest body weight gain was between week 2 and week 4. Female birds were significantly (P< 0.05) heavier than male. Body weight had a positive correlation with all linear body measurements at week 2 except for drumstick length. The best correlation was obtained between body weight and body girth at the 2nd week of age (0.82) (P< 0.05). The estimates of coefficient of determination which ranged from 0.0043 to 0.68 and predictive equations show that body weight in Japanese quail is linearly related to body measurements especially with body girth and body length. The study showed that Body girth and Body length could be used as criteria for assessment and early selection of Japanese quail for body weight.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oumer Sheriff ◽  
Kefyalew Alemayehu ◽  
Aynalem Haile

Abstract Background An exploratory field research was conducted in northwestern Ethiopia, to characterize the morphological features of Arab and Oromo goat populations as an input to design community-based breeding programs. Ten qualitative and nine quantitative traits were considered from 747 randomly selected goats. All data collected during the study period were analyzed using R statistical software. Results Plain white coat color was predominantly observed in Arab goats (33.72%) while plain brown (deep and light) coat color was the most frequent in Oromo goats (27.81%). The morphometric measurements indicated that Oromo goats have significantly higher body weight and linear body measurements than Arab goats. Positive, strong and highly significant correlations were obtained between body weight and most of the body measurements in both goat populations. The highest correlation coefficients of chest girth with body weight for Arab (r  =  0.95) and Oromo (r  =  0.92) goat populations demonstrated a strong association between these variables. Live body weight could be predicted with regression equations of y  =  − 33.65  +  0.89  ×  for Arab goats (R2  =  90) and y  =  − 37.55  +  0.94  ×  for Oromo goats (R2  =  85), where y and x are body weight and chest girth, respectively, in these goat types. Conclusions The morphological variations obtained in this study could be complemented by performance data and molecular characterization using DNA markers to guide the overall goat conservation and formulation of appropriate breeding and selection strategies.


1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. N. B. SHRESTHA ◽  
D. P. HEANEY ◽  
P. S. FISER ◽  
G. A. LANGFORD

Heart girth (HG), body length (BL), leg length (LL), metacarpal circumference (MC), withers height (WH) and hook width (HW) of 233 growing rams of three synthetic strains, Suffolk and Finnsheep breeds were measured at 6, 8 and 10 mo of age. Thereafter, subsequent measurements were taken at 11–13 mo, 18–21 mo and 23–25 mo of age. Breed, birth period (hysterectomy derived birth date), age of ram and body weight (BW) had important effects (P < 0.05) on linear body measurements, whereas age of dam did not (P > 0.05). Significant effects of litter size on HG and BL were observed at 6 and 8 mo of age, respectively. All linear body measurements increased from 6 to 21 mo of age, whereas BL, WH and HW continued to increase to 25 mo. Rams of Strain 1, developed as a synthetic sire strain, with a large proportion of Suffolk background were generally similar to the Suffolk rams in all body measurements except for HG which was significantly larger than in Suffolk rams. The Finnsheep rams had smaller HG, BL, MC and HW than the synthetic strains and Suffolk rams, whereas LL and WH of the Finnsheep and Suffolk rams were similar. Rams of Strains 2 and 3, developed as synthetic dam strains with 50 percent Finnsheep background, were similar in body measurements. The synthetic dam strains did not differ from Strain 1 and/or Suffolk with respect to HG, BL, WH and HW. However, Suffolk rams had larger MC and shorter LL compared to those of the Strain 2 and 3 rams. Birth period had a significant effect on HG, BL, LL and MC, but no consistent trend with age of ram was apparent. Linear body measurements were positively correlated with each other and with body weight; however, the relationship varied as rams progressed in age. The importance of breed, birth date, age of ram and body weight on body measurements and the requirements for appropriate adjustments is emphasized. Key words: Sheep, body measurements, breed, birth date, age of ram


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