Mmereole F.U.C., Obinne J.I.
Abstract
Studies on the relationship of body weight with the linear body measurements of the West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep
were carried out at the National Animal Animal Production Research Institute (NAPRI) outstation located in Ubiaja,
Edo state of Nigeria. The studies involved 38 WAD sheep comprising 25 females and 13 males. The following measurements
were taken: weekly live body weight (BWT), body length (BLT), head of shoulder (HDS), hearth girth (HGT) and height
at withers (HTW). Correlations between body weight and linear body measurements and among linear measurements were
derived. There were positive and significant (P < 0.05) correlation coefficients (r) between BWT and most of the
linear body measurements even at the early age of the animals .The correlation coefficient (r) between BWT and the
BLT remained significant from the beginning of the experiment (age: 2 weeks, r = 0.87) to the end of the experiment
(r = 0.93). Similarly the correlation coefficient, r, between BWT and HGT remained high throughout the experiment
(r = 0.96 at week 2 and 0.98 at week 14). The correlation coefficients between the BWT and other linear measurements
(HDS, HTW) were not consistent 0.28 (HDS). The correlation coefficients between the BWT and HGT and between BWT and
BLT were observed to be the highest and consequently could be used to calibrate an assessment for the body weight of
WAD sheep especially in areas where weighing facilities are not available.
Key words:
WAD sheep, caliberate, assessment of body weight, linear body measurements