Prediction of body weight from linear body measurement in pre-weaning castrate and non-castrate of savanna brown goats (kids)

Abstract

Perdicction of body weight from linear measurements in pre-weaning castrates and non-castrate of Savanna Brown goats (kids) raised semi intensively was studied. Non-castrates obtained highest mean values in the body weight linear measurements. Among the castrate group, goats castrated at six (6) weeks had the highest mean values in neck circumference (20.55cm) and circumference of horn base (5.03cm). Goats castrated at 2 weeks recorded lowest mean values in most of the body parameters measured. The correlation between live-weight and other body measurements among the various treatments were highly significant (P<0.05). The highest correlation values were observed between body weight and body length (0.91) and next to the highest were tail length (0.89) and chest length (0.89) respectively. The lowest correlation value was obtained in neck circumference (0.61). From these results, it is possible to predict body weight of savanna brown goats (kids) from body length, tail length and chest length.