Application of Body Measurements of Blackhead Somali Sheep as Parameters for Estimation of Live Weight

Sheep and goat have a great role in the economy of the pastoral communities which have inhabited in the lowland parts Ethiopia. The study was conducted in Borana low land southern Ethiopia to predict the body weight of blackhead Somali (BHS) sheep using linear body measurements under farm condition. A total of 478 heads (301 female and 177 males) were measured for linear body measurements and body weight. Data obtained on withers height (WH), chest girth (CG), body length (BL), chest depth (CD), pelvic width (PW), cannon bone circumference (CC), tail circumference (TC), scrotal circumference for male (SC) and body weight (BW) were fitted into linear, and multiple regression models to predict live weight from the body measurements. The animals were categorized into two groups as males and females; and four age groups, based on the pair of permanent incisor (PPI), as 0 PPI, 1 PPI, 2 PPI and 3 PPI. The result showed that, live body weight of BHS sheep breed obtained in the present study was lower comparing with the recommended body weight of 30 kg at yearling age. Based on stepwise regression procedure, CD, CG, WH and TC for females and CG, CD, CC, BL and WH for males were better for predicting live weight in multiple linear regression models. The magnitude of correlation coefficient (r) indicated that CG had the highest correlation with live weight (r=0.90 for males) and (r=89 for females). Hence, the study concluded that body weight prediction from chest girth alone or in combination with other body measurements would be a practical option under field conditions with reasonable accuracy.