Prediction of bodyweight from linear body measurements in Gurez sheep

Abstract

Body measurements in sheep are of high value in predicting live body weights in animals. The present study was undertaken to develop an equation for predicting live body weight of Gurez sheep under field conditions. Data on 197 Gurez sheep maintained under farmers flock in Tulail Tehsil of Bandipora District was obtained. This data pertained to body length (BL), height at withers (BH), chest girth (CG), paunch girth (PG), tail length (TL), ear length (EL) and adult body weight (BW). Pooled means of 25.55±0.30, 24.75±0.25, 29.06±0.30, 30.24±0.50, 7.38±0.15, 4.44±0.07 (inches) and 33.82±0.70 kg for BL, BH, CG, PG, TL, EL and BW, respectively were obtained in the present study. Phenotypic correlations of body weight with body measurement traits were found positive ranging from low (0.09±0.07) to high (0.65±0.04) in the present study. Highest and lowest correlations of BW were observed with CG and EL, respectively. Prediction equation of chest girth alone as independent variable with R2 of 42.30% was obtained (Y= -23.25 + 1.838 CG). Equations were also obtained in combination with either BL and BH or with all traits. The R2 of 55.09% and 56.44%, respectively were thus obtained. The lowest R2 of 0.35% was obtained when ear length alone was used as independent variable. Therefore, it is chest girth which can be used to predict live weight in Gurez sheep in absence of weighing balance under field conditions.