Estimation methods and correction factors for body weight in Mangalarga Marchador horses

• Main Authors: Felipe Amorim Caetano de Souza, Joel Augusto Muniz, Tales Jesus Fernandes, Fabiana Oliveira Cunha, Sarah Laguna Conceição Meirelles, José Camisão de Souza, Raquel Silva de Moura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia
• Series: Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia
• Subjects: animal production; equine; foal; nutrition; pregnancy
• Online Access: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982017001200903&lng=en&tlng=en

ABSTRACT The objective was to evaluate the accuracy of six body weight (BW) estimating methods in Mangalarga Marchador horses (MM) (n = 318): method A - tape placements at three different positions around the thoracic girth; B - Crevat and Quetelec's formula; C - Hall's formula; D - Hintz and Griffiths’ table; E - Santos’ table; and F - Cintra's formula. For additional analyses, gender, age, and gestational stage were considered. Estimated average BW was compared to the actual scale weight by the paired T test, mean predicted error, and determination coefficient. In the general population, methods A (position 3), B, and C estimated BW that were different from that of the scale. Method A, at positions 1 and 2, was more accurate in predicting the scale weight results compared with all other methods. For pregnant mares, the tape in positions 1 and 2 in method A did not differ from those of the scale. Method A in positions 1 and 2 and the table (method E) may be used to estimate the BW of males and females of different ages and/or gestational stages. To use Methods B and C, correction factors are necessary to precisely estimate the body weights in this breed.