Correlation and regression analysis between kid biometry and body weight in Surti goat kids during early postpartum period

Introduction

Goat farming is a significant part of India's rural economy because of its high reproductive effectiveness, low maintenance costs and adaptability (Thiruvenkadan et al., 2005) [6] . According to Patel and Pandey (2013), the Surti Goat is a popular native breed because of its capacity to produce milk and adapt to semi-intensive management practices in western India. Because it directly influences survival, market weight and future productivity, children's growth performance is a significant economic characteristic (Yakubu, 2010) [7] . According to Adeyinka and Mohammed (2006) [1] , one of the most accurate measures of goat development and health is body weight. However, weighing scales are frequently unavailable in rural and field settings. As a result, body biometric characteristics like height at wither, body length and heart girth are frequently employed to estimate body weight indirectly (Chitra et al., 2012; Iqbal et al., 2013) [2] [4] . In sheep and goats, a number of studies have found strong positive correlations between live body weight and body measurements (Eyduran et al., 2009) [3] .Heart girth is generally considered the most reliable parameter for predicting body weight because of its close association with body mass and thoracic development (Yilmaz et al., 2013) [8] . Regression and correlation studies help establish mathematical relationships between biometric measurements and body weight, thereby assisting farmers and researchers in growth monitoring and breeding selection programs (Khan et al., 2014) [5] . In order to ascertain the correlation and regression relationship between body weight and biometric features, the current study was conducted to examine the growth pattern of Surti Goat offspring throughout the postpartum period.

Materials and Methods

This study was carried out at navsari, Kamdhenu University's department of livestock Production and Management. Standard management conditions were used at the livestock research station to keep experimental animals. At a height of 11.89 meters above mean sea level, Navsari is located at latitude 20°57′ N and longitude 72°54′ E. The climate in the area is humid to subhumid, with winter temperatures of 10°C and summer temperatures of 40°C. The region receives about 2000 mm of rain on average every year, mostly from June to September. For the study, a total of 14 Surti Goat does that appeared healthy after kidding were chosen. The animals were kept in concrete-floored pucca sheds and fed in accordance with ICAR (1998) feeding guidelines. Based on the manner of birth, the does were split into two groups, each with seven animals: singlet and twin bearing groups. At 0, 7, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after the birth, the kid's body weight and biometric measurements were noted. A standard measuring tape was used to measure biometric characteristics such as height at wither, body length and heart girth. Using an electronic weighing balance, kid's body weight was recorded.

Statistical Analysis

Using Pearson's correlation method, correlation coefficients (r) between biometric characteristics and body weight were determined. To predict body weight using biometric measures, basic linear regression models were created.

Results and Discussion

Table 1 displays the results of the change.in body weight and biometry of Surti goat's kids. Between 0 and 60 days postpartum, the body weight of the kids increased from 2.18±0.15 to 5.74±0.76 kg for singlets and from 2.02±0.02 to 5.58±0.24 kg for twins, with an overall range of 2.10 to 5.60 kg. Overall values ranged from 28.64 to 40.28 cm, with heart girth increasing from 28.71±0.52 to 39.28±0.28 cm in singlets and from 28.42±0.57 to 41.42±0.78 cm in twin kids. Overall values ranged from 29.64 to 43.64 cm, with height at wither increasing from 30.00±0.97 to 42.28±0.89 cm in singlets and from 29.57±1.06 to 45.00±0.48 cm in twin kids. [6] found that body weight and linear body measurements rose considerably with age in Surti goat kids. Similar growth patterns were also noted by Chitra et al. (2012) [2] in Malabari goats and Adeyinka and Mohammed (2006) [1] in Nigerian goats, indicating that body dimensions increase proportionately with age and body mass. The current study found a high positive association between biometric features and body weight, which is consistent with previous findings in sheep and goats. After body length and height at wither, heart girth had the strongest connection (r = 0.96) with body weight. Similar findings were published by Iqbal et al. (2013) [4] , who found that the most accurate body measurement for predicting live body weight in Beetal goats was heart girth. In native goats, Khan et al. (2014) [5] similarly found a strong positive correlation between heart circumference and body weight, suggesting that thoracic circumference represents total body growth and tissue deposition. The results of Yakubu (2010) [7] , who found that heart girth was more accurate at estimating body weight than other body measurements, are in line with the higher predictive value of heart girth found in this study. Similarly, Yilmaz et al. (2013) [8] discovered that because heart girth is closely related to muscular and skeletal growth, it is the best single predictor of live body weight in goats. Heart girth alone could account for about 93% of the variation in body weight, according to the coefficient of determination (R² = 0.93) found in the current study, demonstrating its applicability in field conditions. The regression equation developed in this work provides more evidence for the usefulness of biometric measurements for body weight estimate in situations where weighing facilities are not accessible. Eyduran et al. (2009) [3] published similar regression models and proposed that linear body measures might accurately predict live weight in small ruminants. However, variations in breed, age, management system, diet, environmental conditions and sample size may account for a little variation in regression coefficients across studies. Some researchers found somewhat lower compared correlations between body weight and body measurements in specific goat breeds, which is in contradiction to the current findings. For instance, moderate associations were found in research using extensively managed local goats because of food circumstances and environmental stress. However, the overall results of this study are consistent with the majority of earlier research showing that heart girth is still the most reliable characteristic for predicting body weight in developing goat offspring. Thus, under realistic farming conditions, the current study demonstrates that biometric data, especially heart girth, can function as trustworthy indicators for assessing live body weight and tracking growth performance of Surti Goat kids.

Conclusion

In Surti Goat kids, the study found strong positive correlations between body weight and biometric characteristics. The greatest connection and prediction accuracy for body weight estimation were found in heart girth. Therefore, in rural production systems without access to weighing facilities, biometric assessments might be useful instruments for tracking growth and estimating body weight. The findings also imply that linear body dimensions could be helpful selection and breeding criteria for goat growth improvement.

References

1. Adeyinka IA, Mohammed ID. Relationship of live weight and linear body measurement in two breeds of goats of northern Nigeria. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances. 2006;5(11):891-893.
2. Chitra R, Rajendran S, Prasanna D, Kirubakaran A. Prediction of body weight using appropriate regression model in adult female Malabari goat. Veterinary World. 2012;5(7):409-411.
3. Eyduran E, Karakus K, Karakus S, Cengiz F. Usage of factor scores for determining relationships among body weight and body measurements. Bulgarian Journal of Agricultural Science. 2009;15(4):374-378.
4. Iqbal A, Javed K, Ahmad N, Abdullah M. Prediction of body weight through body measurements in Beetal goats. Pakistan Journal of Science. 2013;65(4):458-461.
5. Khan H, Muhammad F, Ahmad R, Nawaz G. Relationship of body weight with linear body measurements in goats. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences. 2014;24(6):1698-1701.
6. Thiruvenkadan AK, Karunanithi K, Muralidharan J. Genetic and non-genetic factors affecting body weight in Surti goat kids. Indian Journal of Small Ruminants. 2005;11(2):123-127.
7. Yakubu A. Path coefficient and path analysis of body weight and biometric traits in goats. Slovak Journal of Animal Science. 2010;43(1):17-25.
8. Yilmaz O, Denk H, Bardakcioglu HE. Body measurements and prediction of live weight in goats. Kafkas University Veterinary Faculty Journal. 2013;19(2):341-345.