Morfometric measures of young and adult Guzera bulls

Abstract

This work analyzed the morfometric measures (hip, withers height and thoracic circumference) and Guzera bulls body weight, and determined the correlation between its traits, as well as age and farm effect. Bulls from 12 to 72 months old were used and raised in four farms in the North and Northwest area of Rio de Janeiro state. The data are from October 2004 to June 2005. In order to verify farm and age effects on morfometric measures and body weight, variance analysis was carried out. The age influenced the morfometric measures and body weight (P<0,05). The hip and withers height increased until 36 months of age, whereas the thoracic circumference and the corporal weight, until 48 months. The farm effect (P<0,05) was significant for all animal ages, suggesting that different management, weather and genetic herd breed could influence size and body weight. Morfometric measures had high correlations between itself and body weight (0,73 to 0,98), which shows that higher bulls tended to be heavier. Thoracic circumference was highly correlated to body weight (r= 0,97), that is to say this trait can be used to estimate body weight.