The estimation of live weight from body measurements in Yankasa sheep

R.A. Afolayan, I.A. Adeyinka and C.A.M. Lakpini
Additional contact information
R.A. Afolayan: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria
I.A. Adeyinka: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria
C.A.M. Lakpini: National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika-Zaria, Nigeria

Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2006, vol. 51, issue 8, 343-348

Abstract: Live body measurements of weight, height, length, girth, stifle- and hip-width and a measure of muscularity (ratio of stifle to hip width) were monitored on 258 Yankasa sheep stratified into age categories of 1 to over 3 years determined mostly from records and partly by dentition. These animals are from purebred Yankasa sheep kept as a part of the open nucleus-breeding scheme of the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika, Zaria, Nigeria. The effect of sex, type of birth and age group of lambs on live measurements and muscularity were analyzed by least-squares procedures. All variables examined, except sex, had significant (P < 0.001) effects on all body measurements. At birth, male and single-born lambs were significantly heavier than female and twin-born lambs. At early age, most factors significantly (P < 0.01) influenced the body weight, body dimensions and muscularity traits with single-born lambs being 31% heavier, 10% taller and 11% bigger in girth; more highly muscled than the twin-born lambs. This advantage of male over female born lambs (except in hip-width and girth) for growth and developmental traits was maintained reasonably well to the advanced ages. All phenotypic correlations between body measurements were positive and significant (P < 0.001). The highest correlation coefficient was found between chest girth and body weight. The polynomial equation using chest girth as an independent variable predicted body weight more accurately as compared to the linear equation.

Keywords: sheep; body measurements; live weight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2006
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3948-CJAS.html (text/html)
http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/3948-CJAS.pdf (application/pdf)
free of charge

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:51:y:2006:i:8:id:3948-cjas

DOI: 10.17221/3948-CJAS

Access Statistics for this article

Czech Journal of Animal Science is currently edited by Bc. Michaela Polcarová

More articles in Czech Journal of Animal Science from Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Ivo Andrle ().