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Liveweight and Chest Girth Correlation in Commercial Sheep and Goat Herds in
Southwestern Nigeria

Article in International Journal of Morphology · March 2009

DOI: 10.4067/S0717-95022009000100009

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Adenike Olatunji-Akioye Olanike K. Adeyemo

University of Ibadan University of Ibadan
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Int. J. Morphol.,
27(1):49-52, 2009.

Liveweight and Chest Girth Correlation in Commercial Sheep

and Goat Herds in Southwestern Nigeria

Correlación entre Peso Vivo y Contorno del Pecho en Rebaños

Ovino y Caprino Comerciales en el Suroeste de Nigeria

*
Olatunji-Akioye, A. O. & **Adeyemo, O. K.

OLATUNJI-AKIOYE, A. O. & ADEYEMO, O. K. Liveweight and chest girth correlation in commercial sheep and goat herds in
southwestern Nigeria. Int. J. Morphol., 27(1):49-52, 2009.

SUMMARY: The correlation between chest girth and weight of sheep and goats have been studied as a predictive guide in
homestead farms where equipment to definitively quantify the weight of animals are unavailable and inaccessible. The livestock markets
in the South Western part of Nigeria are still very underdeveloped and consist of peasant farmers taking their few animals to more
developed areas to offer them for better prices to the consumer or middle men who are in the trade to attain the best profit. Twenty each
of sheep and goats were randomly selected in herds from three different commercial locations and evaluated using weight and chest girth
measurements as indices. Mean weight for the 3 groups of sheep was between 19.8 and 31.15kg, while for the 3 groups of goats was
between 19.6 and 16.35kg. There was correlation (0.39-0.80) between sheep chest girth and weight which does not differ from those
already established in literature and a predictive index of W= (18.9± 0.36) CG where in more than 80% of the population are accounted
for and in goats, correlation of 0.40-0.76 and a predictive index of W= (18.51± 0.31) CG where more than 76% of the population falls in.
It was therefore concluded that chest girth is a useful tool in predicting weight of commercial sheep and goat.

KEY WORDS: Commercial sheep; Chest girth; Weight.

INTRODUCTION

In Nigeria, goats are the most numerous of all types Mayaka et al. worked on a prediction equation using
of livestock numbering about 27.6 million (FOS, 1986). The the heart girth circumference and showed that in West African
animals are primarily for meat production. There is Dwarf goats, the live-weight can be predicted with
sometimes a need to estimate weight of animals and with satisfactory accuracy. Bundy et al., while working on 11
the production of animals in remote areas where weighing morphological measurements on carcasses of hunter-killed
scales are either unavailable or beyond the reach of the White tailed deer (Odocoeileus virginianus) to predict their
peasant farmer due to their prohibitive prices, it may even weight discovered that; chest girth was the best parameter
be essential to determine the weight of animals from easily for a predictive equation for live-weight. Dale & Bunnel
measurable parameters, such as chest girth (Mayaka et al., (1984), also published data on weights and measurements
1995).while there is information of both farmed animals and of captured Stone’s sheep as part of a study on foraging
those captured in the wild (Bundy et al., 1991; Mayaka et behaviour and nutrition and found that the chest girth is the
al.), there is a dearth of information on commercial sheep best predictive equation for body weight and is applicable
and goat which are unique in the sense that they are without seasonal variation while Fasae et al. (2005), found
transported from the northern part of the country to the that age and season have tremendous effect on live-weight.
southern and have to endure the stress of travel and the To increase meat yield from these breeds requires genetic
cramped environment which may affect observed statistics improvement of its liveweight. Proper measurement of this
in farmed animals. trait is a requisite for achieving this goal. The need for

*
Department of Veterinary Surgery and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
**
Department of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

49
 OLATUNJI-AKIOYE, A. O. & ADEYEMO, O. K. Liveweight and chest girth correlation in commercial sheep and goat herds in southwestern Nigeria. Int. J. Morphol., 27(1):49-52, 2009.

estimation of the trait from simpler and more easily al., 2004) and goats (Benyi, 1997) and the chest girth has
measurable variable, such as linear body measurements been found to be a useful tool in this regard. But with the
therefore arises. myriad problems associated with commercial sheep and goat
in Nigeria (Sumberg & Cassaday, 1984); it can be
This study determined the predictive value of chest hypothesised that these animals may not follow the predictive
girth for live weight in 3 herds of commercial sheep and pattern of chest girth for weight estimation.
goats regardless of breed and sex. Linear regression of each
herd compared to others was also determined.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Chest girth and live weight measurements of twenty

randomly selected animals were taken from each herd at three
sheep and goat markets in Ibadan, Nigeria. The herds were
those located at Bodija market (G1), Iwo Road market (G2)
and General Gas market (G3).

Data Collection. Body weight was evaluated using a

weighing scale. Chest girth measurement was made using Fig. 1. Comparison of weight and chest girth of three commercial
the tailor’s tape measure and is the circumference of the herds of sheep.
chest.

Statistical Analysis. The data were analysed using Sigmaplot

and this was also used to plot the graphs and linear
regressions. All regressions were done at 95% confidence
interval.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship

between an easily recorded measurement (girth of chest) and
the character used for selection purposes (weight). The
predictive value of the chest girth of animals has been used Fig. 2. Comparison of weight and chest girth of three commercial
to determine the weight in sheep (Dale & Bunnell; Attah et herds of goats.

Table I. Predictive equations for bodyweight in commercial sheep and goat.

G1sheep G2sheep G3sheep
Rsqr 0.80 0.39 0.78
B1 0.36 0.29 0.32
B0 18.59 22.4 20.4
Regression equation W=18.59+(0.36)CG W=22.4+(0.29)CG W=20.4+(0.32)CG

G1goat G2goat G3goat

Rsqr 0.76 0.40 0.50
B1 0.31 0.20 0.28
B0 18.51 20.03 20.71
Regression equation W=18.51+(0.31)CG W=20.03+(0.20)CG W=20.71+(0.28)CG

50
 OLATUNJI-AKIOYE, A. O. & ADEYEMO, O. K. Liveweight and chest girth correlation in commercial sheep and goat herds in southwestern Nigeria. Int. J. Morphol., 27(1):49-52, 2009.

In the present study, results were expressed as mean crossbred goats but approximates the lower border of values
and standard deviation. The comparison of weight and Chest obtained by Fasae et al., with Yankassa ewes.
girth of three commercial herds of sheep and goats are
presented as Figs. 1 and 2, respectively. Comparison of plot The results obtained for the West African dwarf goats
and linear regression of three commercial herds of sheep showed that mean weight ranged between 19.6-16.4kg ±
and goat are presented as Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, while 2.1kg. Many of the goats were underweight and hidebound.
the predictive equations for bodyweight in commercial sheep The predictive equation for the liveweight from chest girth
and goat are presented in Table I. The results of this study only managed to include 50-76% of the population with
revealed that in the different groups of sheep; mean weight weight being 18.5+0.31kg chest girth, which is lower than
ranged between 19.8-31.2 ± 2.3 (Table I). Varying range of all reported goat predictive indices (Benyi; Fasae et al.; Khan
scatter (Fig. 1) was also observed in the weight distribution. et al., 2006). This then suggests that for commercial sheep
This can be attributed to the fact that the animals are all and goat, a predictive equation separate from the farmstead
raised under different conditions and are sourced by middle equation may be utilised to reduce overestimation due to
men who purchase them from the farmers and small prevailing circumstances of challenges of commercial sheep
householders who keep these animals for meat or as a cash and goats. Benyi, reported a better reliability with geometric
source when the need arose. Also, the different markets cater equations than with linear in animals with chest girth less
to different target buyers (ceremonial and restaurants) and than 30. The use of easily obtainable measures, like the chest
so the weight range for each herd differs and when the linear girth, which allows an accurate estimate of the weight to be
regression analysis was conducted, 80% of the population made, could create the basis for the assignment of perfor-
were within the predictive value of weight (18.6± 0.36 kg) mance recording to the farmers and allows a more efficient
chest girth, which is a satisfactory predictive index even planning of the selection process and also allows an adequate
though lower than values obtained by Benyi, with pure and economical qualification of the studied breeds.

Fig. 3. Comparison of plot and linear regression of three commercial Fig. 4. Comparison of plot and linear regression of three commercial
herds of sheep. herds of goats.

51
 OLATUNJI-AKIOYE, A. O. & ADEYEMO, O. K. Liveweight and chest girth correlation in commercial sheep and goat herds in southwestern Nigeria. Int. J. Morphol., 27(1):49-52, 2009.

OLATUNJI-AKIOYE, A. O. & ADEYEMO, O. K. Correlación entre peso vivo y contorno del pecho en rebaños ovino y caprino
comerciales en el suroeste de Nigeria. Int. J. Morphol., 27(1):49-52, 2009.

RESUMEN: La correlación entre la circunferencia de pecho y el peso de las ovejas y cabras ha sido estudiada como una guía de
predicción en granjas, donde el equipo para cuantificar el peso de los animales no está disponible o es de difícil acceso. Los mercados de
ganado en la parte sur-occidental de Nigeria, siguen siendo aún muy subdesarrollados y constan de campesinos que tienen pocos anima-
les, a diferencia de zonas más desarrolladas, para ofrecer los mejores precios para el consumidor quienes están los comercializan para
alcanzar el mejor beneficio. Veinte ovejas y veinte cabras fueron seleccionadas al azar entre los rebaños de tres diferentes localidades
comerciales, y fueron evaluadas utilizando el peso y la circunferencia de pecho como los índices de mediciones. La media de peso de los
3 grupos de ovejas fue entre 19,8 y 31,15kg, respectivamente, mientras que para los 3 grupos de cabras fue entre 19,6 y 16,35kg. Hubo
correlación (0,39-0,80) entre la circunferencia de pecho de las ovejas y el peso, que no difieren de las ya establecidas en la bibliografía y
un índice predictivo de W = (18,9 ± 0,36) CG en donde más del 80% de la población se contabilizan y en el ganado caprino, la correlación
de 0,40-0,76 y un índice predictivo de W = (18,51 ± 0,31) CG donde se encuentra más del 76% de la población. Por lo tanto, se llegó a la
conclusión que la circunferencia de pecho es una herramienta útil en la predicción del peso vivo de las ovejas y cabras comerciales.

PALABRAS CLAVE: Oveja comercial; Circunferencia de pecho; Peso.

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