Morphometric characterization and zoometric indices of the criollo mixteco cattle from Oaxaca, Mexico.

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.