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Year :	1997
Tome :	148
Volume :	1
Pages :	37-46
Title :	Morpho-biometrical study of Rove goats. I. Height at the Withers (HW), Depth of the Thorax (DT), Substernal Gap (SG) and index of substernal slenderness (ISs) of females
Authors :	D. BOUCHEL, J.J. LAUVERGNE, E. GUIBERT et R MINVIELLE.
Summary :	The data were gathered from a preservation flock of Rove goals, based in Maures, at Le Plan de Suvière, community of Collobrières, Var, France. The equation for the self-inhibiting growth phase of the growth curve, corresponding to the so called monomolecular model [X = A - Be-kt], was used to study the height at the withers (HW=HG), the depth of the thorax (DT=PT) and the substelnal gap (SG=VSS=HG - PT) of 75 females between 4 months and 8 years of age. A represents the asymptotic value of the measurements, k is the relative growth rate and B is a constant of integration such that X(0) = A - B. The evolution of the index of substernal slenderness (ISs=IGs=VSS/PT) with age was also studied.` We demonstrated that the asymptotic values attained could be taken as pratical value at maturity because the degree of maturity u=X/A of 97.5% for all these measurements was attained by 4.1 years of age at the latest. This value corresponds to the anatomical observations relating to the degree of bone fusion. One has then : A'=HGm=66.5 cm ; A"=PTm=32.6 cm and A"'=VSSm 34.3 cm. Therefore, it could be considered that the practical value at maturity of IGs would be C=A"'/A"=IGsm=1.05. The index of sub-sternal slenderness (ISs=IGs), which quantifies the goats' long-legged character, makes biometric characterization and comparison of different goat breeds possible. The value for IGs = 1.05, found for Rove goats, is very close to that observed for the small African goals of Northern Cameroon (1.14) but differs from the value observed for the large goals of Chad (1.46). The depth of the thorax (DT=PT), which reflects the metabolically effective body size, could also be used for biometrically discriminating populations of goats. In the above mentioned African goats it is 18 to 37 p. cent inferior to that of Rove breed (32.6 cm).
Keywords :	body measurements - biometry - index -Provence - goats - Rove.
Correspondence :	D. BOUCHEL
Adress :	CIRAD/EMVT, Laboratoire de recherche vétérinaire et zootechnique de Farcha, B.P. 433, N'Djamena, Tchad

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