Goat carcass characteristics can also be evaluated by assessing the conformation and distribution of muscle and fat in the carcass. The methods tested on 20 alpine goats were body condition score bcs 3 dimension imaging 3d automatic assessment of bcs or whole body scan ultrasound computer tomography ct adipose cell diameter deuterium oxide dilution space d 2 os and bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy bis. The r2 value was 9223 while the f ratio 1074 was highly significant p0001. Linear body measurements of west african dwarf goats the results showed that the female mean heart girth 18029 4174 21840 1756 25070 2594 and 26048 2227cm body depth 19940 5630 24977. Department of animal production university of agriculture makurdi nigeria. Variables like heights at withers hw neck length nl and neck circumference nc were also highly significant p0001.
However information on body weight and linear body measurements of goats in malaysia is scarce. The total 799 osmanabadi goat were surveyed out of which 270 were male and 529 were female. The aim of study was to see relationship of body weight with linear body measurement in different five age groups 0 3 4 6 7 12 13 36 and above 36 months. Linear body measurements such as body length heart girth and height at withers and body weight is found to be positive in goats and could be used as selection criteria for the goats khan et al 2006. This confirms the relationship of the. The regression analysis of linear body measurements for goats is presented in table 2.
Linear measurements reflect the length of the body dimensions of the live animal to describe the changing body shape in order to predict both animal live weight and composition.