Post-Natal Growth Trends: Evaluating the Correspondence between Body Measurements and Weight in Surti Goat Kids

Abstract

The present study was carried out on 115 apparently healthy Surti goat kids maintained at Livestock Research Station (LRS), Kamdhenu University, Navsari, to determine relationships between body measurements and live body weight during the early growth phase. Various body measurements, viz., height at wither, height at hipbone, height at pinbone, hock height, chest height, ground to stomach height, humerus height, femur height, body length, heart girth, bicostal girth, paunch girth, fore cannon bone girth, rump length, ilium width of the rump, medium width of the rump and ischium width of the rump were taken. Live body weight of all animals was recorded on the day their body morphometry was done, and body weight of animals at different ages was studied from the growth/body weight register maintained at the farm. These animals were classified into 2 different groups based on their age, viz., group 1 (0 to 3 months) and group 2 (3 to 6 months). For groups 1 and 2, the corresponding mean and standard error of live body weight were 05.03 ± 00.29 and 10.20 ± 00.44 kg, respectively. The live body weight was highly correlated (P<0.001) with bicostal girth with an r value of 0.942 in group 1 (0 to 3 months). In group 2, live body weight was positively and significantly (P<0.001) correlated with heart girth with an r value of 0.917. These correlation coefficients between the body morphometric measurements and live body weight can be used in the selection programmes.