Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana
The objective of this study was to determine the practicality of using linear body measurement traits to predict live weight of goats and sheep under communal grazing in three districts of Botswana, namely Central, Kweneng, and Kgalagadi. Pairwise (Pearson) correlations were estimated using bodyweig...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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African Journals Online
2017
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90663 |
| _version_ | 1855539630168866816 |
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| author | Temoso, O. Coleman, M. Baker, Derek Morley, P. Baleseng, L. Makgekgenene, A. Bahta, Sirak T. |
| author_browse | Bahta, Sirak T. Baker, Derek Baleseng, L. Coleman, M. Makgekgenene, A. Morley, P. Temoso, O. |
| author_facet | Temoso, O. Coleman, M. Baker, Derek Morley, P. Baleseng, L. Makgekgenene, A. Bahta, Sirak T. |
| author_sort | Temoso, O. |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The objective of this study was to determine the practicality of using linear body measurement traits to predict live weight of goats and sheep under communal grazing in three districts of Botswana, namely Central, Kweneng, and Kgalagadi. Pairwise (Pearson) correlations were estimated using bodyweight (BW) and morphological trait measurements, namely heart girth (HG), shoulder height (SH), and body condition score (BCS) for a sample of 1447 goats and 588 sheep. These ranged from 0.19 to 0.94 for goats and 0.44 to 0.94 for sheep, and were statistically significant. In both animals, regardless of sex, the highest positive correlations were found between BW and HG, followed by BW and SH, then BW and BCS. The direct and indirect relationship between BW and morphological traits using a path analysis approach were also estimated. This analysis suggested that the direct effect of HG on BW was higher at 0.761 for male and 0.662 for female goats, respectively. Similarly, the direct effect of HG on BW was higher among sheep at 0.764 for males and 0.882 for females. The direct effects of SH in all the animals were also positively influenced by BW. It was concluded that among these three morphological traits, the most valuable for estimating the BW for goats and sheep in Botswana is HG, followed by SH. BCS was found non-significant. Path analysis therefore has an advantage over previous empirical studies by providing more detailed information on the relationships (direct and indirect) between these variables. A further implication of this study is that a conversion table could be constructed to help smallholder farmers to estimate the live weight of their sheep and goats from linear measurements. This would aid in the management and marketing of their livestock. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace90663 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publishDateRange | 2017 |
| publishDateSort | 2017 |
| publisher | African Journals Online |
| publisherStr | African Journals Online |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace906632023-12-08T19:36:04Z Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana Temoso, O. Coleman, M. Baker, Derek Morley, P. Baleseng, L. Makgekgenene, A. Bahta, Sirak T. animal breeding goats small ruminants sheep The objective of this study was to determine the practicality of using linear body measurement traits to predict live weight of goats and sheep under communal grazing in three districts of Botswana, namely Central, Kweneng, and Kgalagadi. Pairwise (Pearson) correlations were estimated using bodyweight (BW) and morphological trait measurements, namely heart girth (HG), shoulder height (SH), and body condition score (BCS) for a sample of 1447 goats and 588 sheep. These ranged from 0.19 to 0.94 for goats and 0.44 to 0.94 for sheep, and were statistically significant. In both animals, regardless of sex, the highest positive correlations were found between BW and HG, followed by BW and SH, then BW and BCS. The direct and indirect relationship between BW and morphological traits using a path analysis approach were also estimated. This analysis suggested that the direct effect of HG on BW was higher at 0.761 for male and 0.662 for female goats, respectively. Similarly, the direct effect of HG on BW was higher among sheep at 0.764 for males and 0.882 for females. The direct effects of SH in all the animals were also positively influenced by BW. It was concluded that among these three morphological traits, the most valuable for estimating the BW for goats and sheep in Botswana is HG, followed by SH. BCS was found non-significant. Path analysis therefore has an advantage over previous empirical studies by providing more detailed information on the relationships (direct and indirect) between these variables. A further implication of this study is that a conversion table could be constructed to help smallholder farmers to estimate the live weight of their sheep and goats from linear measurements. This would aid in the management and marketing of their livestock. 2017-10-30 2018-01-31T11:35:58Z 2018-01-31T11:35:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90663 en Open Access African Journals Online Temoso, O., Coleman, M., Baker, D., Morley, P., Baleseng, L., Makgekgenene, A. and Bahta, S. 2017. Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana. South African Journal of Animal Science 47(6): 854-863. |
| spellingShingle | animal breeding goats small ruminants sheep Temoso, O. Coleman, M. Baker, Derek Morley, P. Baleseng, L. Makgekgenene, A. Bahta, Sirak T. Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title | Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title_full | Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title_fullStr | Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title_short | Using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in Botswana |
| title_sort | using path analysis to predict bodyweight from body measurements of goats and sheep of communal rangelands in botswana |
| topic | animal breeding goats small ruminants sheep |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/90663 |
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