Back Length Research Articles

Determination of growth potentials of two chicken strains using day old phenotypic markers

This study focused on assessing one day old effect of some phenotypic markers on production traits in Ross broiler chickens (ROBROS) and Southern ecotype breeds of chicken (SEC) as an alternative for genetic markers. The study was conducted at the Akenten Appiah Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) Animal farm unit in Asante Mampong Campus of Ghana from June to December, 2022. One hundred and eighty (180) Ross broiler and 180 Southern ecotype breeds of chicks were used for the research. For each breed, the chicks were put into four groups with 45 chicks in each group. Breast length (BRL), Back length (BL), Circumference of the head (CH) and day-old body weight (DOBW) were taken on the chicks at one day old in group 1, 2, 3, and 4 respectively using a tailor’s tape and a weighing scale. Chicks within each group were classified into three (3) sub groups and considered as treatments (T) 1, 2 and 3. The treatments were described as higher (T1), medium (T2), and lower (T3) ranges based on the values obtained from the measurement and reared under randomised completely block design (RCBD). Data on production traits were taken up to week 8 for the Ross broiler and 18 weeks for the Southern ecotype chicken. The results from ANOVA using Statistix indicated that for the Ross broiler chickens, T1 in all the groups were significantly (P < 0.05) superior over T3 for feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. T2 were significantly better than T3 in terms of body weight. For the Southern ecotype chickens, T1 were significantly (P < 0.05) better than T3 for feed intake, body weight, and body weight gain. However, for feed intake and body weight gain, T2 were significantly (P < 0.05) better than T3. Pearson correlation analysis also indicated a high, strong and significant (P < 0.05) correlation between day-old phenotypic markers with body weight. Regression equations of day-old phenotypic markers with body weight were positive and significant (P < 0.05) with coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.64 to 0.76 for Ross broilers and 0.81 to 0.95 for Southern ecotype chickens. CH and DOBW had the highest R2 values and thus the best predictors of body weight. Breast length, back length, circumference of the head, and day-old body weight taken on the chicks at one day old were effective in predicting final body weight. It was concluded that, the four (4) phenotypic markers could be used for selection purposes efficiently.

Morphometrics of IPB D1, IPB D2 and IPB D3 Chickens Aged 4 to 12 Weeks at Sinar Harapan Farm Sukabumi

Research on the 11 morphometrics of IPB-D chicken in Sukabumi district has not been conducted. This study aimed to evaluate the morphometrics of IPB D1, IPB D2 and IPB D3 chickens in Sukabumi District. The design of this study was a completely randomized design with 3 levels of treatment linesnamely IPB D1, IPB D2 and IPB D3 with 95% confidence interval. Treatments that had a significant effect were followed by the Tukey test. Measured morphometric parameters such as shank length, shank circumference, femur length, tibia length, breast length, breast width, breast depth, breast circumference and back length. IPB D3 chickens show that their genetic condition is not yet stable as meat type. At the age of 4 to 8 weeks, IPB-D3 chickens have a larger size in the variables of shank circumference, femur length, tibia length, breast length and breast circumference. However, at the age of 8 to 12 weeks IPB-D3 chickens have a smaller size in the variables of breast length, breast width, breast depth, breast circumference and back length. Meanwhile, IPB D1 chickens show that they are genetically stable and IPB D2 is able to adapt because of its resistance traits.

Pengaruh Dosis Pemberian Enzim Bromelin Terhadap Ukuran Linear Tubuh Ayam Ipb-D1 Generasi Pertama

This study aims to determine the effect of the dose of bromelain enzyme on the linear body size of first generation IPB-D1 chickens. The livestock used were 80 first generation IPB-D1 chickens aged 4 weeks. This research method used a Completely Randomized Design consisting of 4 treatments and 5 replications. Each replication consisted of 4 chickens. The treatment given was E0 = Drinking water without enzyme (control), E1=4 ml of bromelain enzyme/liter of water, E2= 8 ml of bromelain enzyme/liter of water and E3=12 ml of bromelain enzyme/liter of water. The research variables included back length, chest circumference, wing span and shank length. The results of the study showed that the use of the bromelain enzyme had no significant effect (P>0.05) on back length, chest circumference, wing span and shank length at 4 weeks of age. 8 and 12 weeks. It was concluded that the use of the bromelain enzyme in drinking water up to a dose of 12 ml had the same effect on the linear body size of first generation IPB-D1 chickens.

Individualized generation of women's prototype based on the classification of body shape

The traditional prototype method only relies on the basic dimensions of the human body such as bust girth and back length to make the prototype pattern, ignoring the differences of human body details dimensions. In order to improve the fit of garments, the research on intelligent generation technology of individualized garment patterns has become one of the hot spots in the field of clothing. Based on the 3D body scanning technology, we proposed a method for generating prototype pattern based on body shape classification. The proposed method takes as inputs the body parameters (width, thickness and angle), while the output of the method is one of the four pattern generation rules-"Y" shape, "V" shape, "I" shape, or "X" shape. 207 subjects were divided into four categories based on the body angle parameters, namely "Y" shape, "V" shape, "I" shape and "X" shape, and a shape recognition model was built. The pattern database is required to obtain pattern generation rules by 3D point cloud reconstruction and flattening. Combined with the human body shape parameters, the mathematical formulas of the feature points on the pattern landmarks are built. The accuracy of body shape recognition model is 97.4%. The error analysis of the predicted pattern parameters shows that 90% of the pattern feature points have a goodness of fit above 0.7. In the 5 main landmarks, the proportion of pattern within the absolute error range is more than 80%, indicating that the prediction effect of the pattern is good. This method can be applied to the process of automatic pattern generation system based 2D measurement to improve work efficiency.

Genotypic and phenotypic characterisation of three local chicken ecotypes of Ghana based on principal component analysis and body measurements.

This study aimed to characterise three Ghanaian local chicken ecotypes, namely, Interior Savannah, Forest, and Coastal Savannah, based on morphological data and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes. Morphological data including body weight, shank length, body girth, back length, thigh length, beak length, comb length, and wattle length were collected from 250 local chickens. DNA isolated from blood of 1,440 local chickens was used for SNP genotyping with the Affymetrix chicken 600k SNP chip. Principal component analysis showed that Forest and Coastal Savannah birds were closely related. Generally, all three ecotypes exhibited high genetic diversity, especially birds from the Interior Savannah zone. Morphological characterisation showed that ecotype (p = 0.016) and sex (p = 0.000) had significant effects on body weight. Birds of the Interior Savannah ecotype were the heaviest (p = 0.004), with mean weights of 1.23 kg for females and 1.40 kg for males. Sex also had a strong significant effect on most of the morphological measurements, but the sex * ecotype interaction effect was not significant. Very few of the feather phenotypes previously reported to be associated with heat resistance-frizzle (2%) and naked neck (1.6%)-were found in the studied populations. It is concluded that the three local ecotypes are genetically diverse but with similar morphological features and the information provided would be useful for future selection decisions.

RELATIONSHIP AMONG LIVEWEIGHT AND LINEAR DIMENSIONS OF YANKASA SHEEP IN HADEJIA LIVESTOCK MARKET, JIGAWA STATE

The liveweight (LW) and linear body measurements (LBMs) of one hundred and twenty (120) yearling Yankasa Sheep from Hadejia Livestock Market were used for the study. The LBMs were Age, Backlength (BL), Tail length (TL), Ear length (EL), Horn length (HL), Neck length (NL). Height at Withers (HAW). Heart girth(HG) and LW. The correlation coefficient of LW and all LBMs were positive. The strongest and weakest relationship were observed between LW and HL (r = 0.680; P < 0.01), and LW and TL. (0.124) respectively. HAW and HG could be used to predict the LW among all the LBMs.

Body Weight and Morphometric Characteristics of KUB Chicken at 60 Days of Age

Kampung Unggul Balitnak Chicken (KUB) is a highly favored Indonesian native chicken breed among breeders because of its rapid development rate and ability to thrive in many situations. This study aimed to investigate KUB chickens' growth performance and morphometric parameters at 60 days of age, a crucial phase for determining their suitability as commercial broilers. Using an intensive rearing system, 100 KUB chickens were reared for 60 days in group cages. Body weight measurements were recorded weekly, and morphometric traits were measured after the study period. The study's findings indicated that the mean body weight of KUB chickens at 60 days of age was 710.53±16.76 grams, suggesting a favorable growth rate. In addition, the morphometric analysis revealed favorable physical characteristics, including an average chest length of 100.55±3.70 mm, chest width of 47.47±3.12 mm, wing length of 165.93±4.34 mm, back length of 164.9±4.26 mm, back height of 205.51±3.99 mm, shank length of 63.23±3.69 mm, and shank circumference of 35.76±1.48 mm. The results indicate that KUB chickens exhibit desirable body weight and morphometric traits at 60 days old, proving their suitability in commercial broiler farming. To summarize, this study offers significant information regarding the growth performance and physical characteristics of KUB chickens during a critical phase of their development. The findings highlight the breed's capacity to serve as a practical choice for commercial broiler production, enhancing the variety and long-term viability of the poultry sector in Indonesia.

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of Body Measurements and Its Relationship with Body Weight in Jowo Super (Bangkok × Layer) Chicken

The aim of this study was aimed to determine the total variation of the body weight (g) by using principal components analyses (PCA) of body measurements (cm) in 156 Joper (Bangkok × Layer) crossbred chickens consisting of 60 males and 96 females. In total twelve traits including body weight (BW), head circumference (HC), neck length (NL), wings length (WL), back length (BL), chest circumference (CC), chest width (CW), femur length (FL), tibia length (TiL), shank length (SL), shank circumference (SC) and third toe length (TL) were measured in each bird. The PCA of body measurements was performed by using a SPSS 16.0 package. Results determined three PC’s in each sex group based on the body measurements. Five body measurements of WL, BL, FL, TiL and SL were included in the first component (PC1) in both sex group which were able to explain the BW variation by 76% in male and 61% in female. The first three PC explained 67.78% and 65.93% of total variance of the morphostructure of male and female birds, respectively. The Kaiser-MeyerOlkin (KMO) value in both sex group was 0.80 which indicated the results of PC analyse were accurate. In conclusion, the body measurements of PC1 were influenced to BW of birds study.

Genetic growth performance of methionine supplementation in diet of Large White pigs in tropical environments

Objective : This study was to assess the effect of dietary methionine supplementation on the productive performance of growing pigs. Methods : A total of 200 Large White pigs including 100 sows and 100 castrated with an average body weight of around 41.09 ± 7.08 kg were assigned to five treatments of basal diet supplemented with 0% (M0), 0.25% (M0.25), 0.50% (M0.50), 0.75% (M0.75) and 1% (M1) of methionine having 4 replicates of 10 pigs each. All treatments were subjected to the same prophylactic plan. Data were collected on feed intake, body weights and body measurements, especially back length, thoracic perimeter and height at the withers. The data collected were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Results : this study showed a significant reduction in feed intake in M0.50 and M0.75 compared to the other treatments. On day 60, pigs in the M1 treatment showed significantly lower body weights than pigs in M0.50. Pigs in the M0.75 treatment had the lowest feed conversion ratio compared to the M1 treatment. The economic evaluation revealed that the M0.50 and M0.75 treatment groups had the best production costs. Conclusion : supplementing the diet with 0.50% methionine resulted in better production costs in Large White pigs and is strongly recommended to farmers

Production and oxidative stress responses in a cage designed for creep-feeding lambs

This research aims to assess the production and oxidative stress reactions of lambs fed in a specially designed cage for creep feeding. For this purpose, the Akkaraman lambs (n = 60) were separated into four groups (15 individuals by two sexes and two groups), and all were fed the same ration. On the days that all the data was collected, the lambs were precisely 20, 34, 48, and 62 days old. The study included collecting data on body weights, body measures, and saliva samples from lambs. When the change in body weight was investigated, the results indicated that the differences between caged creep and control feeding groups (P = 0.343) and among the groupings concerning gender (P = 0.735) were insignificant. The importance levels of change differences in body measurements based on feeding methods and gender are withers height: P = 0.003, P = 0.198; body length: P < 0.001, P = 0.394; pectoral chest width: P = 0.030, P = 0.906; chest depth: P < 0.001, P = 0.741; chest circumference: P = 0.093, P = 0.529; back length: P = 0.221, P = 0.935; head length: P = 0.004, P = 0.072 and head width: P = 0.112, P = 0.617 calculated. The study's saliva samples, the effects were examined, and significant differences in Malondialdehyde (P = 0.014), superoxide dismutase (P = 0.029), catalase (P < 0.001), and glutathione s-transferase (P = 0.001) were discovered between control feeding and caged creep feeding methods. In ischemia-modified albumin (P > 0.05), the difference between the groups was insignificant. According to these findings, caged creep feeding systems are preferable for achieving faster growth rates in Akkaraman lambs; however, caged creep feeding techniques in bigger areas with longer periods are considered better for welfare conditions.

Body length as predictor for improving body weight of White Leghorn chicken breed

The association between live body weight and morphometric traits plays a major role in the daily management and improvement of poultry. The objective of the current study was to determine the association between morphometric features and live body weight, as well as to investigate the direct and indirect effects of morphometric traits on White Leghorn laying hens' live body weight. Live body weight (BW) and morphometric traits including shank circumference (SC), body length (BL), wing length (WL), shank length (SL), toe to back length (TBL), beak length (BKL), beak to comb length (BCL), height (CH) and chest girth (CG) were collected from one hundred (n = 100) White Leghorn laying hens aged 40 weeks. The correlation findings showed that BW was positively correlated to SL, WL, SC, BL, and CH (p &lt; 0.05). The Path analysis results reported that BL (0.45) had the highest direct effect on BW while WL (0.14) had the highest indirect effect on BW via BL. Correlation results propose that improvement of BL, SL, SC, CG and CH might increase the BW of White Leghorn hens. Path analysis results on the other hand, imply that BL and SC may be used as selection basis during breeding to improve BW in chickens. This study suggests that BW of White Leghorn is correlated with some morphometric traits that might be used during breeding. The findings also suggest that body length directly influence the live body weight of White Leghorn chicken breed. Keywords: Correlation matrix, Morphometric traits, Regression, Shank circumference, Wing length.

An intelligent recommendation system for personalised parametric garment patterns by integrating designer’s knowledge and 3D body measurements

Garment pattern-making is one of the most important parts of the apparel industry. However, traditional pattern-making is an experience-based work, very time-consuming and ignores the body shape difference. This paper proposes a parametric design method for garment pattern based on body dimensions acquired from a body scanner and body features (body feature points and three segmented body part shape classification) identified by designers according to their professional knowledge. By using this method, we construct a men’s shirt pattern recommendation system oriented to personalised fit. The system consists of two databases and three models. The two databases include a relational database (Database I) and a personalised basic pattern (PBP) database (Database II). The Database I is based on manual and three-dimensional (3D) measurements of human bodies by using designer’s knowledge. And Database I is a relational database, which is organised in terms of the relational model of the body part shape and its key body feature dimensions. After a deep analysis of measured data, the irrelevant measured dimensions to human body shape have been excluded by designers and extract representative human body feature dimensions. In addition, the relations between body shapes and previously identified body feature dimensions have been modelled. From the above relational model, we label key feature point positions on the corresponding 3D body model obtained from 3D body scanning and correct the whole 3D human upper body model into the semantically interpretable one. The 3D personalised basic pattern is drawn on the corrected model based on these key feature points. By using three-dimensional to two-dimensional (3D-to-2D) flattening technology, a 2D flatten graph of the 3D personalised basic pattern of the interpretable model is obtained and slightly adjusted to the form suitable for industrial production, i.e., PBP and the PBP database (Database II) is built. In addition, the three models include a basic pattern parametric model (Model I) (characterizing the relations between the basic pattern and its key influencing human dimensions (chest girth and back length)), a regression model (Model II) which enables to infer from basic pattern to PBP for three body parts based on the one-to-one correspondence of key points between the PBPs and the basic patterns and a personalised shirt pattern parametric model (Model III) (characterizing the structural relations between the personalised shirt pattern (PBPshirt) and PBP). The initial input items of the recommendation system are the body dimension constraint parameters, including chest girth, back length and the body feature dimensions used to determine each body part shape as well as three shirt style constraint parameters (slim, regular and loose). By using Model I, the corresponding basic pattern can be generated through the user’s chest girth and back length. Body feature dimensions determine the three body parts’ shapes. Then, Model II is used to generate the PBP for the corresponding body parts shape. Based on the shirt style chosen by the user, Mode III is used to generate the PBPshirt from the PBP. The output of the recommendation system is a fit-oriented PBPshirt. Moreover, if the PBPshirt is unsatisfactory after a virtual try-on, four adjustable parameters (front side-seam dart, back side-seam dart, waist dart and garment bodice length) are designed to adjust the PBPshirt generated by the proposed recommendation system.

Cattle Weight Estimation Using Linear Regression and Random Forest Regressor

The global cattle farming industry has benefits as a food source, livelihood, economic contribution, land environmental restoration, and energy source. The importance of predicting cow weight for farmers is to monitor animal development. Meanwhile, for traders, knowing the animal's weight makes it easier to calculate the price of the animal meat they buy. The authors propose estimating cattle weighting linear regression and random forest regression. Linear regression can interpret the linear relationship between dependent and independent variables, and random forest regression can generalize the data well. The data set used in this study consisted of ten variables: live body weight, withers height, sacrum height, chest depth, chest width, maclocks width, hip joint width, oblique body length, oblique back length and chest circumference. Find the model that produces the smallest MAE value. The results show that the linear regression algorithm can produce estimated weight values for cattle with the best performance. This model produces a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.35 kg, a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 0.07%, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.5 kg, and an R² of 0.99. Each variable has excellent correlation performance results and contributes to computer vision and machine learning.

Influence of Back Length on Vibrotactile Acuity in Vertical Direction.

In this study, we were interested in the question whether vibrotactile thresholds on the back, in terms of the Just Noticeable Difference (JND), scale with back length. Although there exists only indirect physiological evidence, it could be assumed that the density of mechanoreceptors is lower if back size is larger. As a consequence, the JND would increase with back length. We measured psychophysical curves for 40 male participants with back lengths in the range of 36 to 55cm. Nine equally spaced vibration motors were placed in vertical direction on their back, 2cm left of the spine. For each stimulus pair, participants had to decide whether the second vibration was above or below the first vibration. It was found that the slope of the fit of the JND as a function of back length was not significantly different from zero, so contrary to our expectation, we did not find an influence of back length on JND. This means that when customizing a wearable haptic device for the back, measuring back length is not the way to go.

PREDICTING BODY WEIGHT THROUGH BIOMETRIC MEASUREMENTS IN BOLIVIAN LLAMAS

The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between body weight (BW) and different biometric measurements in llamas (Lama glama) from the Bolivian highlands and to generate prediction models of BW. A total of 515 individual records of BW and biometric measurements were used. The measurements were taken on 202 males and 313 females aged between 0.5 and 5 years, and included: neck length (NL), withers height (WH), rump height (RH), heart girth (HG), body length (BL), abdomen circumference (AC), rib depth (RD), hip width (HW), pin bone width (PBW), thoracic width (TW), and back length (BKL). The relationships between BW and biometric measurements were developed using simple linear and multiple regression. For the evaluation, the relationship between the observed and predicted values of BW was determined by linear regression, the mean squared error of prediction (MSEP) and root MSEP (RMSEP); concordance correlation coefficient analysis was also used. The BW ranged from 22 to 122 kg. Regression equations between BW, HG and RD had an r2 of 0.94 and 0.92, respectively (RMSEP= 6.06 and 6.70 kg, respectively). The equations were highly precise (r2 &gt;0.86) and accurate (Cb&gt;0.98), with a reproducibility index &gt; 0.92. The model efficiency (MEF) indicated a higher efficiency of prediction (MEF ≥ 0.86). Using a single predictor, HG and RD accounted for more than 92% of the variation in BW. Overall, HG may be used as a single predictor to predict BW in llamas maintained under the conditions of the Bolivian highlands.

Estimation of The Correlation Value of Body Weight and Linear Body Size of KUB Chickens Fed Fermented Cow Feces

The purpose of this study was to estimate the correlation value of growth traits and linear body size of KUB chickens fed feed containing fermented cow feces such as body weight, shank length, chest circumference, back length, and wingspan of KUB chickens from 8 to 16 weeks of age. Forty-eight adult chickens were used as parents consisting of 8 males, and 40 females. From their AI mating, they produced 100 chicks as research materials. A completely Randomized Design with 4 treatments and 5 replications for each treatment was used in this study. A correlation analysis was carried out using Spearman correlation analysis to calculate the correlation value and error standard. All data obtained were analyzed using SPSS release 21 software. The results showed that KUB chickens that consumed feed containing fermented cow feces as much as 10% were able to produce body weight and linear body size that was better than other treatments. The estimated correlation value between body weight and linear body size of KUB chickens consuming fermented cow feces varied from very strong to very weak. For selection purposes, it can be carried out mainly on traits with high positive correlation values.

THE DIFFERENCES IN ARABIAN HORSE BODY MEASUREMENTS USED IN DIFFERENT HORSE SPORTS (RACING AND JEREED)

Numerous sports disciplines employ Arabian horses. The use of Arabian horses bred in Turkey for flat racing and javelin (jereed) sport was examined in this study, as well as the effects of aging. 13 different physical sections of Arabian male horses were measured, 43 of which competed in races at the racetracks in Ankara, Adana, Bursa, and Şanlıurfa, and 58 of which took part in javelin competitions in the heart of Erzurum. When the body measurements of male Arabian horses used for javelin and racing were compared, it was found that there were differences in the croup length (p &lt; 0.01), back length (p &lt; 0.001), chest depth (p &lt; 0.05), chest circumference (p &lt; 0.001), pectoral chest width (p &lt; 0.01), neck circumference (p &lt; 0.001), and hock circumference (p &lt; 0.001). The changes in the withers height, croup length, and chest circumference of male Arabian horses at different ages were found to be significant (p &lt; 0.05), but not in the other body measurements (p &gt; 0.05). The pectoral chest breadth and hock circumference were shown to be significant in the usage area of horses (JAVELIN-RACING) x age interaction (p &lt; 0.05). The choice of Arabian racing horses for the javelin or training purposes was thought to have altered the anatomical structure, which could account for the differences in various body measurements between racing and javelin horses.

The effects of stocking density on growth, morphological development, behavior, and welfare parameters in pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).

In pheasants, which are generally raised in large flocks, stocking density is important for their growth and development, normal behavior and welfare. But there is still a lack of information on the optimum stocking density for game birds. This research was conducted on a total of 200 pheasants to examine the effects of low (5 pheasant/m2) and high (10 pheasant/m2) stocking density rearing practices on body weight, morphological development, behavioral characteristics and welfare parameters such as foot-pad dermatitis and plumage quality. When we look at the study results, it was determined that the density of stocking did not make a difference in the first 13 weeks of age, but pheasants reared at low density at the ages of 14-16 weeks reached higher body weight. In terms of body weight at 14, 15, and 16 weeks, the low stocking density group had an average of approximately 41, 71, and 94 g higher than the high stocking density group, respectively (p<0.05). It had been found that low density provides better morphological development. The low group was found to be significantly higher than the high group in terms of ornithological size, wingspan, back length, tail length, head length and head width, 5.9 cm, 2 cm, 1.3 cm, 7.6 cm, 1.7 mm and 1 mm, respectively (p<0.05). Since the animals in the low group had more individual space, they had the opportunity to perch and therefore exhibit more passive behavior. On the other hand, pheasants in the low group exhibited higher levels of aggressive behavior (p<0.05). More foraging behavior was observed in the higher group and the low-density group consumed more feed in the 14th week (p<0.05). But no significant differences were detected between groups in terms of feed consumption in other weeks (p>0.05). A 1.12 point higher score was calculated in the low group compared to the high group, especially in terms of tail feather quality, and as a result, pheasants reared in low stocking density had better plumage quality (p<0.05). It had been determined that as the stocking density decreases in the rearing of pheasants, they exhibit easier flight and roosting behaviors and therefore they were less affected by feather pecking behavior and had better feather quality. In addition, it had been determined that pheasants grow and develop better in this group, which had more rest opportunities. In conclusion, rearing at low stocking density is recommended for better fattening performance and better welfare conditions.

Biometric Trait Characterization and Multivariate Discriminant Analysis of Traditionally Bred Autochthonous Chickens in Ethiopia

The biometric characterization of autochthonous Ethiopian chickens has not been fully investigated in the study area. In this study, we aimed to conduct biometric trait characterization and multivariate discriminant analysis of traditionally bred autochthonous chickens in Ethiopia and assess the wide range of phenotypic diversity within these populations. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used, and data on biometric traits and body weight were collected from adult chickens. Principal component and correlation analyses were performed to explore the discriminating factors and relationships among traits. All autochthonous chickens showed clear sexual dimorphism, with the Agarfa chickens having the highest biometric traits and body weight. Across the study area, the majority of biometric values showed variation between age group 1 (AG-1) and age group 3 (AG-3). All autochthonous chickens showed a strong correlation between wingspan and back length (p ≤ 0.001). Roosters and hens also showed a strong correlation between the keel and neck length (p ≤ 0.001). Principal component 1 (PC1) and principal component 2 (PC2) explained 56.44%, 55.09%, and 47.86% of the total variation in the original variables for all autochthonous chickens, roosters, and hens, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed the existence of biometric trait and body weight variations among autochthonous chickens from different districts. Therefore, genetic profiling should be performed to better understand the genetic potential of autochthonous Ethiopian chickens.

195 The Impact of Developmental Housing Type on Toe Growth and Wear in Sows

Abstract Swine housing systems are ever-changing to improve animal husbandry. Recently, gilts are being transitioned from gestation stalls to pens with resulting phenotypic effects being unclear. Toe growth and wear are often negated during structural analysis, with objective data of their trends being limited. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the impact of housing type on toe growth and wear during gestation of golts. York x Landrace gilts (n = 321) were used at the UNL ENREC swine farm. Gilts were randomly assigned to either pen (4 pigs/pen; 2.09 m2/pig) or stall (2.06 x 0.48 m) housing at 210 days of age. For analysis, gilts were lifted in a Feet First Chute (Zinpro) to permanently mark the lateral toes on the left front and back feet at ~1 cm from the coronary band. Toe length above and below the mark was measured with a digital caliper. Measurements took place before breeding (PRE), at day 30 (D30), day 57 (D57), and day 100 (D100) of gestation, and at weaning (WEAN). Estimated marginal means were calculated with regards for development group, housing type, and initial toe lengths. From PRE to D100, stall housed gilts had greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) front growth (32.5 vs. 26.8 mm), similar front wear (-25.3 vs. -23.4 mm), greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) back growth (39.1 vs. 34.3 mm), greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) back wear (-32.3 vs. -28.1 mm), a greater (P &amp;lt; 0.01) total front length (41.6 vs. 39.6 mm), and a slightly longer total back length (45.5 vs. 45 mm). From D100 to WEAN, pen housed gilts had more (P &amp;lt; 0.05) back wear (-5.12 vs. -4.32 mm) and subsequently less (P &amp;lt; 0.01) total back growth (4.88 vs. 6.50 mm); with no other differences showing significance. These results suggest that housing can alter feet conformation with stall developed gilts having longer toes when entering farrowing.