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Fipa cattle in the southwestern highlands of Tanzania: morphometric and physical characteristics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 August 2012

P.L. Mwambene ,
A.M. Katule ,
S.W. Chenyambuga  and
P.A.A. Mwakilembe
P.L. Mwambene*
Affiliation:
Livestock Research Centre Uyole, Directorate of Research, Training and Extension, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, PO Box 6191, Mbeya, Tanzania
A.M. Katule
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, PO Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania
S.W. Chenyambuga
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science and Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Sokoine University of Agriculture, PO Box 3004, Morogoro, Tanzania
P.A.A. Mwakilembe
Affiliation:
Livestock Research Centre Uyole, Directorate of Research, Training and Extension, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, PO Box 6191, Mbeya, Tanzania
*
Correspondence to: P.L. Mwambene, Livestock Research Centre Uyole, Directorate of Research, Training and Extension, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development, Mbeya, Tanzania. piusmwambene@yahoo.co.uk
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Summary

Assessment of diversity is a prerequisite for the management and conservation of farm animal genetic resources. To study the morphological features of Fipa cattle in Southwestern Tanzania, 108 herds were studied. Fourteen body measurements (body weight, body length, height at withers, heart girth, ear length, ear width, horn length, horn-base thickness, horn-base spacing, horn-tip spacing, rump width, rump length, tail length and tail-base thickness) and qualitative traits were recorded from 307 animals. Measurements were classified according to location and animal sex. Both location and sex significantly (P < 0.05) influenced all the measurements, with castrates and bulls superseding cows. Most measurements were positively and highly significantly (P < 0.001) correlated with the body weight predicted accurately from heart girth. The animals had variable colour patterns, but being predominantly red (20.9 percent), pied black and white (18.6 percent), black (17.9 percent) and pied red and white (14.7 percent). All animals had sloping rumps and most (81.8 percent) had small-sized humps. Most (94.8 percent) animals had pyramid-shaped humps located in the cervico-thoracic position. Most (91.5 percent) animals had upward–forward oriented and lyre-shaped horns. All the animals had flat faces and backs, and laterally oriented ears. Most (97.1 percent) animals had medium-sized dewlaps, medium-sized teats (93.6 percent) and medium-sized quarters (87.2 percent). The navel flap was absent in most (87.6 percent) animals. Thus, the Fipa cattle can be classified as a medium-sized strain with considerable variation in body size and morphological features within and between districts.

Résumé

L’évaluation de la diversité est une condition préalable de la gestion et de la conservation des ressources génétiques des animaux domestiques. Pour étudier les caractéristiques morphologiques des bovins Fipa dans le sud-ouest de la Tanzanie, on a analysé 108 troupeaux. Quatorze mensurations corporelles (poids et longueur du corps, hauteur au garrot, périmètre thoracique, longueur et largeur des oreilles, longueur des cornes, épaisseur et espacement de la base des cornes, espacement de la pointe des cornes, largeur et longueur de la croupe, longueur de la queue et épaisseur de la base de la queue) et les caractères qualitatifs de 307 animaux ont été enregistrés. Les mesures ont été classées selon l'emplacement et le sexe des animaux. Les emplacements ainsi que le sexe influencent considérablement (P < 0,05) toutes les mesures, les animaux châtrés et les taureaux ayant des valeurs dépassant celles des vaches. La plupart des mesures sont absolument et exactement (P < 0,001) corrélées au poids corporel prévu à partir du périmètre thoracique. Les animaux ont des couleurs différentes, mais ils sont principalement de couleur rouge (20,9 pour cent), pie noire et blanche (18,6 pour cent), noire (17,9 pour cent) et pie rouge et blanche (14,7 pour cent). Tous les animaux présentent des croupes inclinées et la plupart (81,8 pour cent) ont des petites bosses, dont la majorité (94,8 pour cent) sont en forme de pyramide, situées dans la zone cervico-thoracique. Les cornes de la plupart des animaux (91,5 pour cent) sont en forme de lyre et orientées vers le haut et en avant. Chez tous les animaux, la face et le dos sont aplatis et les oreilles sont orientées latéralement. Beaucoup d'animaux présentent des fanons (97,1 pour cent), des trayons (93,6 pour cent) et des quartiers (87,2 pour cent) de taille moyenne. La plupart des animaux (87,6 pour cent) ne possède aucun repli ombilical. Par conséquent, on peut classer les bovins Fipa comme une souche de taille moyenne avec des variations considérables entre et à l'intérieur des districts en ce qui concerne le poids corporel et les caractéristiques morphologiques.

Resumen

La valoración de la diversidad es un requisito previo para la gestión y conservación de los recursos genéticos de los animales domésticos. Para conocer las características morfológicas de ganado vacuno Fipa en el suroeste de Tanzania se estudiaron 108 rebaños. Se estudiaron en 307 animales, catorce medidas corporales (peso corporal, diámetro longitudinal, alzada a la cruz, perímetro torácico, longitud de la oreja, anchura de la oreja, longitud de los cuernos, el grosor de la base de cuerno, el espacio entre las bases de los cuernos, la distancia entre las puntas de los cuernos, ancho de la grupa, la longitud de la grupa, la longitud de la cola y grosor de la base de la cola) y determinados caracteres de tipo cualitativo. Las medidas se clasificaron de acuerdo con la ubicación y el sexo de los animales. Tanto la ubicación como el sexo influyeron de forma significativa (P < 0,05) en todas las mediciones, con bueyes y toros. La mayoría de las mediciones fueron positivas y altamente significativas (P < 0,001), correlacionadas con el peso corporal predicho a partir del perímetro torácico. Los animales presentaban diferentes patrones de color, predominando la capa roja (20,9%), la berrenda en negro (18,6%), la negra (17,9%) y la berrenda en negro (14,7%). Todos los animales presentaban grupa derribada y la mayoría (81,8%) presentaban una giba de pequeño tamaño. La mayoría de los animales (94,8%) presentaban giba con forma piramidal ubicada a nivel cérvico-torácico. La mayoría de los animales (91,5%) presentaban cuernos con forma de lira hacia arriba y hacia delante. Todos los animales presentaban la cara y la espalda planas y las orejas dirigidas hacia los lados. La mayoría de los animales (97,1%) presentaban un tamaño medio de papada, pezón de tamaño mediano (93,6%) y ubres medianas (87,2%). La mayoría de los animales (87,6%) no presentaba pliegue umbilical. Así, el ganado bovino Fipa puede ser clasificado como de mediano tamaño con una considerable variación en cuanto a talla y características morfológicas, dentro y entre distritos.

Keywords

body measurementscharacterizationFipa cattlequalitative traitsvariationmensurations corporellescaractérisationbovins Fipacaractères qualitatifsvariationmedidas corporalescaracterizaciónganado bovino Fipacaracteres cualitativosvariación
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Genetic Resources/Resources génétiques animales/Recursos genéticos animales , Volume 51 , December 2012 , pp. 15 - 29
Copyright
Copyright © Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2012

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