Morphometric traits and stepwise regression of indigenous sheep in southwestern region, Ethiopia

• Published in: Journal of agriculture and food research 2023-12, Vol.14, p.100666, Article 100666
• Main Authors: Markos, Daniel, Masho, Worku, Baye, Mekuanent, Bayou, Elias
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Body weight; Phenotypic characterization; Qualitative trait; Quantitative trait; Regression
• ISSN: 2666-1543; 2666-1543
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jafr.2023.100666

This research was carried out to characterize differences in morphometric features and assess the effectiveness of various linear body measures in forecasting the live weight of local sheep grown in Bench Sheko zone, southwestern Ethiopia. Purposive followed by random sampling procedures were used, to choose the potential samples. Qualitative trait, body weight, and linear body measurements were taken from 660 sheep. Plain (69.8%) and patchy (16.7%) coat color patterns were predominant in both districts. The bulk of the sheep in the research locations had narrow tails, short hair, horned males, dark red coat colors, Cylindrical and turned up at the tip tail shape, straight head and back profile, and sloping rump profile. Live weight and linear body measurements are significantly influenced by age, sex, sex-age interaction, and location. The mean body weight, heart girth, wither height, body length, ear length, tail length, rump height, rump length, rump width, and scrotal circumference were, 28.4 ± 0.15 cm, 75.5 ± 0.18 cm, 64.0 ± 0.12 cm, 62.8 ± 0.14 cm, 11.1 ± 0.06 cm, 28.2 ± 0.20 cm, 64.8 ± 0.12 cm, 20.8 ± 0.05 cm, 16.6 ± 0.06 cm and 26.1 ± 0.16 cm respectively. Heart girth was the best correlated with the sheep of different age class in both the districts. The greatest predictor of body weight (BW) was heart girth (HG) along with other linear body measurements. Therefore, HG was found to be the most significant factor influencing the bulk of the changes in BW, indicating that it could be utilized as a valid estimator for the sheep breed investigated. Genetic improvement must be prioritized since indigenous sheep in the study area have a large body frame. [Display omitted] •The main aim of this manuscript is to assess qualitative and quantitative measurement and predict live weight depending on stepwise regression of indigenous sheep.•Qualitative traits were identified through observation such as coat color pattern, coat color, hair type, tail type, presence and absence of horn.•Quantitative traits were identified through measuring height at wither height at rump, body length, rump length, rump width, and tail length.•This study is a research article focused on exploitation of genetic potential of indigenous sheep in developing country Ethiopia.