ABSTRACT
Objective
Our objective was to evaluate the relationships among BCS, linear measures and associated
body mass indexes (BMI), and growth performance of yearling Alpine doelings consuming
forage-based diets.
Materials and Methods
Fifty-four doelings (initial age of 306 ± 1.9 d and 31.7 ± 0.38 kg of BW) consumed
75% forage diets ad libitum in a 12-wk experiment. Linear measures included height
at the withers (Withers), length from shoulder to hook (Hook) and pin bones (Pin),
and circumference from heart girth (Heart). The BMI included Withers (BW/Withers),
Hook (BW/Hook), Pin (BW/Pin), Heart (BW/Heart), Withers × Hook [BW/(Withers × Hook)],
Withers × Pin [BW/(Withers × Pin)], Heart × Hook [BW/(Heart × Hook)], and Heart ×
Pin [BW/(Heart × Pin)], all with the unit of grams per square centimeter.
Results and Discussion
Correlation coefficients of BCS were 0.39, 0.21, and 0.32 for BW, ADG, and DMI (g/d),
respectively (P < 0.05), with nonsignificant r for residual feed intake and ADG:DMI. Greater r were
observed between BMI and performance measures (P < 0.05). Correlation coefficients were 0.71, 0.58, 0.66, 0.69, 0.78, 0.67, and 0.81
between BMI of Withers, Pin, Heart, Withers × Hook, Withers × Pin, Heart × Hook, and
Heart × Pin and BW; 0.36, 0.45, 0.037, 0.42, 0.34, and 0.42 between BMI of Hook, Pin,
Withers × Hook, Withers × Pin, Heart × Hook, and Heart × Pin and ADG; and 0.49, 0.56,
0.47, 0.63, and 0.58 between BMI of Withers, Pin, Withers × Hook, Withers × Pin, and
Heart × Pin and DMI, respectively. The BMI were not related to residual feed intake,
and there were some BMI with weak relationships to ADG:DMI.
Implications and Applications
Due to stronger relationships between measures of performance of yearling Alpine doelings
consuming a forage-based diet and BMI compared with BCS, future research should address
BMI with other physiological states and production conditions.
Key words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
June 22,
2019
Received:
May 6,
2019
Footnotes
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
