Prediction of body weight using linear body measurements for Abergelle goat in Waghimra zone, Northern Ethiopia

This study was conducted in the low-land and mid-land districts of the Waghimra zone to estimate the relationship between live body weight and linear body measurements in Abergelle goats. Data on body weight, body length, height at the withers, heart girth, rump height, hip width, neck length, neck circumference, horn length, ear length and tail length were collected from 903 (664 female and 239 male) goats. The animals were classified into two sex groups male and female and five age groups 0PPI, 1PPI, 2PPI, 3PPI and 4PPI where used. The stepwise REG procedure of the SAS (2002) Vir.9 package was employed to predict live weight from linear body measurements. Regression and correlation analyses between body weight as a response variable and body weight as a predictor variable were conducted. Positive and highly significant (p < 0.001) correlations were observed between live weight and heart girth (r = 0.81) for males and (r = 0.65) for females at the ages of 2PPI and 4PPI goats, respectively. Heart girth alone explained 64% and 58% of the variation in body weight for males and females, respectively. The live weight of goats can be predicted from heart girth, body length and chest width, with a coefficient of 0.73, and heart girth, chest width, body length and hip width, with a coefficient of 0.68, for males and females. From these results, it could be concluded that live weight can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from linear body measurements to support breed improvement programs and nutrition and health management under field conditions.