Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (12): 5301-5311.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2023.12.038

• RESEARCH NOTES • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Multiple Stepwise Regression Analysis and Growth Curve Fitting of Body Measurement Traits in Saanen Dairy Goats

HE Zhicheng1, QIN Xiaochen1, Lü Yongqiang1, LI Xiujin2, BIAN Huilong3, LUO Jun1, LI Cong1*   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China;
    2. Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou 510225, China;
    3. Animal Husbandry Workstation of Long County, Baoji 721200, China
  • Received:2023-04-10 Online:2023-12-23 Published:2023-12-26

Abstract: This study aimed to conduct multiple stepwise regression and growth curve fitting analysis on the body measurement traits of Saanen dairy goats, explore the correlation and regression relationship between different body measurements, construct a growth curve for body measurement traits, so as to provide a theoretical basis for revealing the development patterns of Saanen dairy goats on body measurement, and provide practical reference for the selection and management of standardized farm of dairy goats. A total of 874 healthy Saanen dairy goats from different age of months and genders were used as the research subjects, and 11 body measurement traits were measured, including 4 general body measurement traits: body height, body length, chest circumference, and tube circumference; Three traits reflecting the reproductive performance of bucks: rump length, rump width, and testicular circumference; Four udder traits including udder circumference, udder depth, teat spacing, and udder height from the ground. Principal component analysis was applied to reduce the dimensions of the above three types of traits, and multiple stepwise regression was used to construct a regression equation for general body measurement traits reflecting reproductive performance traits of bucks and udder traits of does. The Bertalanffy model was used to fit the growth curve of general body measurement traits. The results indicated that: 1) There was a highly significant correlation (P<0.01) within the three types of traits, and the first principal component after dimensionality reduction represented the overall appearance factor among the three types of traits. The second principal component in does udder traits can be explained as a factor related to hindquarters height. 2) The regression fit of general body measurement traits to traits reflected buck reproductive performance was relatively high, ranging from 0.76 to 0.87, while the regression fit of udder traits of does was only 0.15 to 0.40. 3) Bertalanffy had a good fitting effect on general body measurement traits, except for a fitting degree of 0.60 for does tube circumference, all other traits were above 0.75, and the growth curves of bucks’ body measurement rose faster than that of does. In conclusion, there is a correlation between the body measurement traits of Saanen dairy goats, and the general body measurement traits of bucks can accurately predict the traits that reflected buck reproductive performance. The Bertalanffy model is good to fit the general body measurement traits in dairy goats.

Key words: Saanen dairy goat, body type trait, regression analysis, principal component analysis, growth curve

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