The Estimation of Live Weight from Body Measurements in Different Meat-Type Lambs

Authors : Vasfiye KADER ESEN, Cengiz ELMACI

Pages : 469-475

Doi:10.15832/ankutbd.719037

View : 62 | Download : 16

Publication Date : 2021-12-04

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The present study aimed to analyze the live weight insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(LW); and some body measurements to estimate the LW of lambs in five different meat-type sheep breeds reared in the same flock under intensive conditions. A total of 202 head of lambs, including both genders of Kivircik insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(K);, Bandirma insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(B);, Karacabey Merino insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(KM);, Hampshire Down x Merino crossbreed insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(HM);, and Ramlic insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(R);, were conducted in this study. Birth weights ranged between 3.94-5.07 kg in those breeds and were affected significantly by breed and birth types insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.001);. The effect of sex was clearly seen with the weaning period; males lambs were 2.61 kg heavier than female lambs insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.001);. The importance of breed differences on chest circumference insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(CC); increased as the lambs grew older. On the other hand, sex had a significant effect on all body measurements at the pre- and post-weaning period insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.01 and P<0.001);; however, did not on body length insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(BL); at the pre-weaning period insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P>0.05);. In contrast, the importance of birth type on BL and CC decreased as the lambs grew older insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P>0.05);. The results of regressing LW and body measurements show that LW was very highly insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(P<0.001); correlated with body measurements insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=0.682–0.892);. The highest correlations were observed between LW and CC insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(r=0.802-0.892); in B, KM, and R lambs. These results suggest that using body measurements as a correction factor has a great benefit in those breeds, such as withers height and CC are used to estimate LW in KM and R lambs, effectively.
Keywords : Estimation, Body measurements, Live weight, Sheep breeds

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