Prediction of live body weight using various body measurements in Ugandan village pigs

摘要

AstudytodevelopbodyweightpredictionequationsbasedonvariousbodymeasurementswasconductedinruralKamulidistrict,Uganda.Bodyweight(kg)andbodymeasurementdata(cm)werecollectedfrom411pigsbetween15and127kgfrombothlocalandexotic(mainlycrossbreds)pigs.Fivebodymeasurements;bodylength,heartgirth,height,bodywidthandflank-to-flankweretakenfromeachpig.Predictionmodelsweredevelopedbyregressingweightonpigbodymeasurements.Themodelsweredevelopedforpigscategorizedas40kg,#8805;40kgandanoverallsinglepredictionmodel.Meanweightsof40kgand#8805;40kgwere27±6.5kgand63±19.6kg,respectively.Bodylengthandheartgirthwereusedtopredict(R2=0.89)weightforthe40kgpigswiththepredictionequation;Weight=-41.814+0.296(bodylength)+0.654(heartgirth).Fourbodymeasurements;bodylength,heartgirth,heightandbodywidthwerestronglypredictive(R2=0.92)oflivebodyweightforthe#8805;40kgpigswiththepredictionequation;Weight=-108.198+0.228(bodylength)+1.094(heartgirth)+0.267(height)+0.922(bodywidth).Theflank-to-flankmeasurementdidnotaffectmodelprediction(p0.05)andquadratictermsalsodidnotimproveaccuracyandwerenotincludedinanypredictionmodels.Theseresultssuggestthatliveweightcouldbeaccuratelyestimatedusingtwoormorepigbodymeasurements.ItwasconcludedthatthisweightestimationtoolwouldempowerUgandansmallscalepigfarmersbyprovidingthemwithanaccurateestimatefortheanimal#8217;sliveweightandgivingthembetterbargainingpowerwhensellingtheirpigs.