Comparison of Some Biometric Index Values in Anatolian Black Cattle Calves Raised in Different Locations

Çağrı Melikşah SAKAR; İlker ÜNAL; Yasin ERGİDEN; Uğur ZÜLKADİR

Çağrı Melikşah SAKAR International Center for Livestock Research and Training
İlker ÜNAL International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Turkey
Yasin ERGİDEN 1International Center for Livestock Research and Training, Mamak, Ankara, Turkey
Uğur ZÜLKADİR Selçuk University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, Konya, Turkey

Keywords: Biometric İndex, Anatolian Black Cattle, body measurement, conservation

Abstract

In this study, some biometric index values of locally adapted Anatolian Black cattle raised in two different regions here defined as institute and village. The measurements were taken from the total of 829 animals in different growth periods such as birth (n=220), 3rd (n=208), 6th (n=206) and 12th month (n=195) of ages. In the study, a total of seventeen biometric indices were used to assess the general conformation of the animals as well as the development in the different regions. Examined biometric indexes were consist of Massiveness Index (MI), Area Index (AI), Height Index (HI), Height Slope Index (HS), Lateral Body Index (LBI), Pectoral Index (PI), Thoracic Index (TI), Length Index1 (LI1), Length Index2 (LI2), Chest Depth Index (CDI), Under Sternum Index (USI), Conformation Index (CI), Thoracic Development Index (TDI), Cannon Bones Index (CBI), Dactylo-Thoracic Index (DTI), Dactyl Costal Index (DCI) and Cannon Bone Load Index (CBL). Mostly of these values (MI, AI, LI2, CDI, PI, HS, CI, TDI) increase with the age of the animals, while some of them (LBI, USI, BI, DTI, DCI, CBL) decrease, and also there are also values (HI, TI, LI1) that are generally linear. In all examined periods, biometric indexes such as MI, AI, LI1, LI2, USI, HS, TDI, BI, DTI and DCI were found significantly higher in animals raised at the institute, while indexes like HI, LBI, TI, CDI, PI, CI, CBL were found significantly higher in animals raised at the village. The highest positive correlations were found between MI&AI, MI&TDI, PI&CDI, DTI&DCI and DTI&CBL values. On the other hand, the highest negative correlations were determined between MI&CBL, AI&DTI, AI&CBL, HI&HS, LBI&LI2, PI&USI, CDI&USI values. As a result, the indexes representing area and size were found to be higher in animals raised under Institute conditions, while the indexes determining long walks in mountainous and rough terrains were found to be superior in cattle raised in villages.