Abstract
This study was undertaken to examine biometric measurements during the growth phase of male and female Santa Inês sheep reared in Brachiaria brizantha pastures in northeastern Brazil. The experiment involved 24 castrated males and 24 females at an initial age of 90 days, with an average body weight of 19.04 ± 0.96 kg. Treatments consisted of the effect of four cultivars (Marandu, Xaraés, Piatã and Paiaguás) and two sexes. Six animals were used per treatment, in a randomized-block experimental design. The following characteristics were evaluated: abdominal circumference (AC), body condition score (BCS), body length (BL), body weight (BW), body capacity 1 (BC1), body capacity 2 (BC2), chest width (CW), heart girth (HG), leg circumference (LC), leg length (LL), rump height (RH), rump width (RW) and withers height (WH). Data were subjected to descriptive analysis, Pearson’s correlation, ANOVA and Tukey’s, Kruskal Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. Univariate and multiple regressions were applied to estimate BW with a maximum error level of 5%. Significant differences were observed for the biometric measurements between sexes and cultivars (p<0.05). Body weight was highly correlated (>70%) with AC, WH, CG, RW, BC1 and BC2. The male sheep grazed on cultivars Piatã showed the best values for BW (40.43 kg), HG, RW, WH, LL, LC (102.46; 20.8; 65.23; 60.44; 42.54 cm respectively) and BC1 (4.25 kg/cm). Females grazed on cultivar Marandu had higher values for RW, CW, LL (17.26; 20.1; 75.98 cm respectively), BC1 (6.03 kg/cm) and BC2 (0.422 kg/cm). The equations that best estimated live weight were BC1 and HG. In male and female Santa Inês sheep, biometric parameters grow differently depending on the cultivar where they are grazed during the growth phase. Cultivars Marandu and Piatã are the most recommended for sheep production, as they provided the best performance and body development in those animals.
Highlights
Sheep meat farming is a prominent activity in developing countries
The present study proposes to examine biometric measurements during the growth phase of male and female Santa Inês sheep reared in Brachiaria brizantha pastures in northeastern Brazil
The temperature data of the experimental area were obtained from the database of the National Institute of Meteorology, while precipitation data were obtained using a Ville de Paris-type stainless-steel rain gauge installed in the experimental facilities (Fig 1)
Summary
Sheep meat farming is a prominent activity in developing countries. This segment has a high revenue-generating potential in agribusiness. Tropical grasses have been evaluated as a component of sheep diets in northeastern Brazil In those studies, alterations were observed in the characteristics of those grasses over the year which influenced the production performance of grazing sheep [7]. Santa Inês is the most widespread sheep breed in that region These animals stand out for their optimal meat production, hardiness, prolificacy, marked maternal ability and great ability to adapt to the climatic conditions of that region [8]. Evaluating body measurements as a function of age in Santa Inês breed may help to better understand their growth and meat production potential [11].
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