PREDICTION OF LIVE BODY WEIGHTS IN DROMEDARY CAMELS (Camelus dromedarius) FROM MORPHOMETRIC BODY MEASUREMENTS

Abstract

The study explores the prediction of body weight in dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius) using morphometric measurements Fifty-one (51) camels, comprising 24 females and 27 males were used for the study. Data were obtained on individual camels, including; estimated body weight (EBW), heart girth (HG), abdominal girth (AG), body length (BL), rump height (RH), shoulder height (SH), face length (FL), foreleg length (FLL), hind leg length (HLL), tail length (TL), neck length (NL), neck circumference (NC), and head length (HL). Data were subjected to statistical analysis. Results obtained showed no-significant (p>0.05) effect of sex on body weight in females and males. The correlation coefficients highlight strong relationships, particularly in HG and AG, emphasizing their significance in predicting body weight. The results show moderate to low VIF values, suggesting acceptable levels of multicollinearity in the models. Prediction equations are gender-specific, with separate models for females and males. For both sexes, HG and AG emerge as crucial predictors, with additional contributions from SH and FLL in certain models. The coefficient of determination (R²) indicates the proportion of variability in body weight explained by the models. For females, a three-variable model achieves an impressive R² of 99.1%, while the corresponding male model attains 97.6%. Combining sexes, the models reach R² values of 98.1% and 98.3%, showcasing the efficacy of the proposed regression equations in predicting body weights in dromedary camels. The study provides valuable insights for camel management, offering a practical tool for estimating body weight based on readily measurable morphometric traits.