scholarly journals Calving difficulty as related to body weights and measurements of cows and calves in a herd of Gascon breed

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Bureš ◽  
L. Bartoň ◽  
R. Zahrádková ◽  
V. Teslík ◽  
M. Fiedlerová

This study was conducted to evaluate the body weights and measurements of 86 Gascon calves and their dams. The effects of the course of parturition, parity of the dams, sex of the calves, and live- or stillborn calves were analysed. Phenotypic correlations between different measurements and calf birth weight as well as the course of parturition were calculated. Internal pelvic measurements were significantly associated with the occurrence of assisted calvings and stillborn calves. Primiparous cows had a smaller pelvic area, lower live weight, and more frequent difficulty in calving compared to older cows. A higher incidence of difficult calvings was observed in bull-calves due to their higher (<I>P</i> < 0.001) birth weight. High and significant correlation coefficients were determined between the birth weight and body measurements of the calves as well as between the calf birth weight and the course of parturition (<I>r</i> = 0.34; <I>P</i> < 0.01). Negative correlations (<I>r</i> = –0.21 to –0.30) were calculated between the internal pelvic measurements of the cows and the course of parturition score. It was concluded that the internal pelvic measurements of the dam and the size and shape of the calf were the factors influencing the course of parturition in this study to the largest extent.

1968 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. M. Hinks ◽  
B. Bech Andersen

Five hundred and ten Danish Red male calves slaughtered for the production of veal at live weights of approximately 200 kg were used to estimate carcass composition.Regression coefficients expressing the relationships between live weight and carcass components indicated that weight at 6 months of age consisted mostly of muscle development in the breast and hindquarters.Variation in all of the more important growth and carcass attributes was very small, which suggested that selection responses would be difficult to obtain.There was no apparent correlation between growth rate and the muscle, fat and bone components of the carcass. The best single indicator of the muscle content of the carcass was the muscle content of the pistol cut (r = 0·79), which itself involved complicated dissection procedures. The longissimus dorsi area provided relatively little information, and none of the body measurements, apart from the leg circumference, were strongly related to carcass composition.The predictive value of many combinations of traits was examined. The best of them accounted for 90% of the variation in muscle content, but when the pistol cut was excluded, none of the multiple correlation coefficients exceeded 0·8.


1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. Mittal ◽  
P. K. Ghosh

ABSTRACTSeasonal fluctuations in oestrous activity and live weight were studied in ewes of the Marwari breed indigenous to the Rajasthan Desert in north-western India. Of the ewes examined 80 to 100% were in oestrus every month of the year, indicating thereby the non-seasonality of female reproductive activity in this breed. On average, each ewe exhibited heat 18 times a year. The incidence of silent heats was low (4·2 %). The average length of an oestrous cycle was 17 days, while the actual period of oestrus varied from 24 to 48 h with an average of 36 h. No seasonal effect on these activities could be observed. The maximum and minimum body weights of the animals were recorded during the autumn (October) and summer (June) months respectively. The body weights differed significantly (P<0·05) between months. Sexual activity in these animals is, therefore, apparently not affected by changes in body weight. The continuous nature of oestrous activity in Marwari sheep may be economically exploited by regulating the lambing season according o t the prevailing ecological conditions and market demands, without the use of hormones.


Author(s):  
Ye. I. Fedorovych ◽  
V. V. Fedorovych ◽  
P. V. Bodnar ◽  
S. I. Fyl ◽  
A. V. Dymchuk ◽  
...  

The research was conducted on cattle of Black-and-White breed (Holstein and Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed) at LLC “Veleten” Glukhiv district of Sumy region (n = 1956) and PJSC “Breeding Plant “Stepnoy” of Kamyansko-Dniprovsk district of Zaporizhzhia region (n = 1981). Based on retrospective data analysis (“Uniform-Agri” – program of dairy herd management) for the period from 2004 to 2017 it was studied the live weight of cows in growing period (newborns, 6, 12; 18 months, at first insemination and after the first calving), body measurements of heifers (height at shoulders, chest depth, chest width, chest girth behind the shoulder blades, oblique body length, width of hips, wrist girth) and traits of reproducibility (age at first insemination, age at first calving, duration of service period, insemination index, fertility index) and milk productivity of cows (milk yields for 305 days, fat and protein content in milk for the first, second and third lactation). Based on our previously obtained data by correlation analysis method it was studied the relative variability of phenotypic traits and indicators of dairy productivity of cows. It is established that the connections of live weight of cows during their rearing with traits of milk productivity were multidirectional and ranged from slightly improbable to moderately significant values. At the same time, in both farms, the most significant highly probable connection was noted between the live weight of animals at the age of 12 months and the milk yield of first-borns that indicates the possibility of selecting heifers at the specified age to provide them future high milk productivity. There was significant variability of the relationship between body measurements and the amount of milk yield of cows for the first, second and third lactation. However, cows of both farms, had direct connection, but a bit weaker in animals at PJSC “Breeding Plant “Stepnoy”. Positive correlation coefficients between indicators of exterior and milk yields of cows give reasons to claim the efficiency of indirect selection of heifers by body measurements. Rational management of dairy farming and high profits depend a lot on knowledge of regularities of correlative variability of productive traits of cows and indicators of reproductive capacity. It is established that the connections between the traits of milk productivity and reproductive capacity of animals were different and ranged from weak to medium and from reliable to improbable. The most significant highly reliable, however, with negative correlation coefficients were observed between milk yield of cows for all studied lactations and their age at the first insemination and the first calving


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oumer Sheriff ◽  
Kefyalew Alemayehu ◽  
Aynalem Haile

Abstract Background An exploratory field research was conducted in northwestern Ethiopia, to characterize the morphological features of Arab and Oromo goat populations as an input to design community-based breeding programs. Ten qualitative and nine quantitative traits were considered from 747 randomly selected goats. All data collected during the study period were analyzed using R statistical software. Results Plain white coat color was predominantly observed in Arab goats (33.72%) while plain brown (deep and light) coat color was the most frequent in Oromo goats (27.81%). The morphometric measurements indicated that Oromo goats have significantly higher body weight and linear body measurements than Arab goats. Positive, strong and highly significant correlations were obtained between body weight and most of the body measurements in both goat populations. The highest correlation coefficients of chest girth with body weight for Arab (r  =  0.95) and Oromo (r  =  0.92) goat populations demonstrated a strong association between these variables. Live body weight could be predicted with regression equations of y  =  − 33.65  +  0.89  ×  for Arab goats (R2  =  90) and y  =  − 37.55  +  0.94  ×  for Oromo goats (R2  =  85), where y and x are body weight and chest girth, respectively, in these goat types. Conclusions The morphological variations obtained in this study could be complemented by performance data and molecular characterization using DNA markers to guide the overall goat conservation and formulation of appropriate breeding and selection strategies.


1995 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 75-82
Author(s):  
S. C. Mehta ◽  
P. K. Vij ◽  
B. K. Joshi ◽  
R. Sahai ◽  
A. E. Nivsarkar

SUMMARYObservations were recorded on morphological characteristics, body weights and body measurements of 344 Malpura sheep belonging to nine age groups during a survey conducted in 18 randomly selected villages of three blocks of the Chittorgarh district of Rajastha. The body weights at birth, 1, 3, 6 and 9 months and adult weight averaged 3.3, 6.7±0.88, 12.9±0.71, 16.4±0.71, 21.0±1.00 and 31.4 kg respectively. Height, body length, chest girth, paunch girth, face length, face width, tail length and ear length of adult Malpura sheep averaged 63.6, 66.8, 77.1, 80.9, 20.7, 9.8, 30.3 and 6.3 cm respectively. Sex of the animal had significant effect on weight, height, body length and chest girth at 8 teeth stage. Phenotypic correlations of body weight with height, chest girth and paunch girth ranged from 0.76±0.04 to 0.88±0.03 and regression of weight on these body measurements ranged from 0.63±0.02 to 0.98±0.05.


1988 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Johnson ◽  
G. H. Deutscher ◽  
A. Parkhurst

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oumer Sheriff ◽  
Kefyalew Alemayehu ◽  
Aynalem Haile

Abstract Background: An exploratory field research was conducted in Northwestern Ethiopia, to characterize the morphological features of Arab and Oromo goat populations as a first step to design breeding programs. Ten qualitative and nine quantitative traits were considered from 747 randomly selected goats. All data collected during the study period were analyzed using R statistical software, version 3.5.2, 2018. Results: Plain white coat color was predominantly observed in Arab goats (33.72%) while plain brown (deep and light) coat color was the most frequent in Oromo goats (27.81%). The morphometric measurements indicated that Oromo goats have significantly (P < 0.001) higher body weight and linear body measurements than Arab goats. Positive, strong and highly significant (P < 0.001) correlations were obtained between body weight and most of the body measurements in both goat populations. The highest correlation coefficients of chest girth with body weight for Arab (r = 0.95) and Oromo (r = 0.92) goat populations demonstrated a strong association between these variables. Live body weight could be predicted with regression equations of y = -33.65 + 0.89x for Arab goats (R2 = 90) and y = -37.55 + 0.94x for Oromo goats (R2 = 85), where y and x are body weight and chest girth, respectively, in these goat types. Conclusions: The morphological variations obtained in this study could be complemented by performance data and molecular characterization using DNA markers to guide the overall goat conservation and formulation of appropriate breeding and selection strategies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-179
Author(s):  
O. S. Sowande ◽  
B. A Orebela ◽  
O. S Iyasere

The relationships between live weight and eight body measurements of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep were studied using 300 animals under farm condition. The animals were categorized based on age and sex. Data obtained on height at withers (HW), heart girth (HG), body length (BL), head length (HL), length of hindquarter (LHQ), width of hindquarter (WHQ), head width(HDW), and loin girth (LG) were fitted into simple linear (change in body measurement is directly proportional to weight or body size), allometric (body measurements do not necessarily change in direct proportion to weight or body size), and multiple linear regression models to predict live weight from the body measurements according to age group and sex. Results showed that live weight and body measurements of ewe were higher than that of the ram. Live weight, HG, HW, WHQ, LG, BL, LHQ, HL, and HW increased with the age of the animals. In multiple linear regression model, WHQ, LHQ, HW, HL and HDW best fit the model for sheep aged ≤1; HG, LG, BL and HDW for 2 year-old sheep; HG, BL, and HL best fit the model for sheep 3 years age group; LHQ best fit the model for sheep of 4 years of age; while HL best fits sheep that were in 5 year age category. Coefficients of determination (R2) values for linear and allometric models for predicting the live weight of WAD sheep increased with age in all the body measurements (HW, HG, BL, HL, LHQ, WHQ, HDW and LG). Sex had significant influence on the model with R2 values consistently higher in females except the models for LHQ, WHQ, LG and BL were they the same with the males. Based on R2 values, it was concluded that both linear and allometric regression models could be used to predict live weight from body measurements of WAD sheep.   


2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-46
Author(s):  
J. Püski ◽  
S. Bozó ◽  
I. Györkös ◽  
A. Gáspárdy ◽  
E. Szücs

Abstract. Title of the paper: Comparison of the conformation scoring and the body measurement based on four linear traits of Holstein Friesian cows The goal was evaluate the similarity of the body scoring System and the body measurement kept generally for the best objective method. The target-traits (withers height, body depth, rump width at the gluteal tuberosity and body capacity) of Holstein Friesian heifers were taken down. Three-three groups (−extreme, medium, +extreme) based on the Standard deviation of the body measurements were created and compared in each traits, as well as phenotypic relationships (regression and correlation) were calculated. Taking the relationships into consideration it appeared that the body measurements do not stand in such a close connection with each other than it is suggested by the scoring. The pair-wise correlation coefficients between the values of the same traits taken down by scoring and measuring Systems can by seen as low figures (r = 0.71, 0.50, 0.43 and 0.59, respectively) since we have the same traits. The partial correlation coefficients are even more less than the pair-wise correlation coefficients, and statistically confirmed only by the height at wither. Except the height at wither, there were no demonstrable connections in the regression of the same traits, just then, exclusively the true height at wither influenced the classifier during the scoring of all the traits. The differences between the type groups were smaller in each traits estimated by scoring. From the analysis of the type groups it is obvious that the similarity of the two methods is the biggest in the height at wither. In the case of body depth, rump width and body capacity the classifier can distinguish only the "very little" and "very large" animals from the judged population while the intermediate types remained unrecognised. The average value of the individual identity between the two typing method was around 35%.


2020 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 19-23
Author(s):  
O. J. Ogunshola ◽  
S. A. Daramola ◽  
O. B. Omotoso ◽  
O. I. Baki ◽  
C. A. Chineke

The native chickens constitute about 80 percent of the 120 million poultry birds found in Nigeriabut have not been adequately characterized. Thus, the study was undertaken to establish the relationship among body weight and morphometric traits of thirty six Fulani Ecotype chickens raised for 25 weeks. Body weights were collected per bird and the morphometric traits (body length, drumstick length, drumstick circumference, breast girth, nose to shoulder, shoulder to tail and height at withers) were measured with tape rule on weekly basis. The measured parameters were subjected to correlation and regression analyses. Analysis showed that positive and high significant correlation existed between body weight and morphometric traits (p< 0.01). The result showed that accuracy of prediction was attained with linear and quadratic models but quadratic model had theoretical advantage over the linearmodelwith respect to its goodness of fit to the data. This means that an increase in growth rate of the body parts would correspondingly cause an increase in live weight gain of the bird. In conclusion, body weight and morphometric traits could be used to separate males and females Fulani Ecotype chicken at 17 weeks old. At this age, males appeared bigger than the females and their combs were well pronounced, this would help both sexes to grow uniformly, prevent indiscriminate mating before attaining the age of sexual maturity and help in selection of Fulani Ecotype chicken for improvement in meat and egg production.


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