Prediction of body weight from linear body measurements in pigs

The present study was carried on 792 progenies belonging to 6 genetic groups of pig. In general, the R2 value was higher at later ages than at birth. R2 values were comparatively higher for the equations in which chest girth was included as independent variable followed by body length and height at withers. R2 values were highest for equation based on all the 3 linear body measurements followed by those based on two and one. But the differences in R2 values between the equations based on only two body measurements involving chest girth and body length and those based on all the three measurments were negligible. Thus, it can be concluded that body weight may be predicted more accurately with lesser effort based on only chest girth and body length instead of all the three body measurements.