Abstract
The objective of the study was to characterize morphometrically and to estimate the zoometric indices of criollo Mixteco bulls from Oaxaca, Mexico. Thirty bulls (2.3 ± 0.8 years of age and 248.8 ± 27 kg of weight) were evaluated. Ten morphometric measurements were determined and from them 10 zoometric indices were calculated: cephalic, thoracic, corporal, lateral corporal,
anamorphosis, pelvic, dactyl-thoracic, dactyl-costal, transverse pelvic, and longitudinal pelvic.
The morphometric measurements showed a range of variation between 7.4 % (height at the withers) and 29.3 % (thoracic bicostal width), and the average coefficient of variation was 13 %.
The general correlation coefficient indicated 66.6 % of phenotypic homogeneity. There was apositive correlation (p < 0.05) between the live weight and 90.9 % of morphometric variables, the thoracic perimeter being the variable with the highest correlation (r = 0.778). The indices obtained described the criollo Mixteco cattle as a dolichocephalic (cephalic index 48.5 ± 4.2) and brevilinear
(corporal index 79.9 ± 7.8) biotype, with longilinear thoracic proportions (thoracic index 72.74 ± 22.12, anamorphosis index 2.1 ± 0.2), and with aptitude for the dual purpose but with tendency for meat production (lateral corporal index 94.4 ± 9.0, dactyl-thoracic index 11.0 ± 0.5, dactyl-costal index 46.6 ± 12.8, transverse pelvic index 32.1 ± 1.6, longitudinal pelvic index 37.9 ± 2.4), and with body volume in harmony with skeleton development (pelvic index 84.8 ± 4.5, dactyl-thoracic
index 11.0 ± 0.5, dactyl-costal index 46.6 ± 12.8). In conclusion, the criollo Mixteco bulls had a dolichocephalic, brevilinear biotype, longilinear thoracic proportions, with aptitude for the dual purpose but tendency for meat production, body volume in harmony with skeleton development, and morphostructural proportionality.
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