GENERAL ASPECTS OF BODY MEASURES, WEIGHT AND SCORE CONDITION FEMALE NELORE BREED (Bos taurus indicus) ON THE PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS

Abstract

Four hundred and eighty cattle were used to verify alterations and correlations among corporal measures in Nelore zebu herd with cows and heifers. Body weight and length, corporal condition, heart girth, withers height and hip measures were evaluated. Eight collections were accomplished along the months of October of 2002 and October of 2003. In heifers there was increase of the averages of corporal measures with significant difference (p <0,05) among collections only the heart girth was different (p <0,05) in cows. The relationship between the body weight and body condition with the time were quadratic parallel curves (p <0,001). There were correlations among lineal measures body with hip measures (p<0,001) except for heart girth with hip length. The correlations of body weight and body condition among body measures were significant (p<0,001) except body condition with hip length in cows. It could be concluded that there was a growing variation of the body measures in heifers in the experimental period. The body weight, the body condition and heart girth were related with different periods of the year that the evaluation was accomplished. In cows the variations along the year were of 14,79%, 31,53% and 6,74%, respectively. The isquiun – iliun external measures, as height and width were correlated with size measures and weight. The body weight and body condition in heifers behave in way similar to cows. Further researches in relationship among body measures, body weight and body condition with productive and reproductive aspect are necessary.