J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1946. 5:264-271.
© 1946 American Society of Animal Science
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The Relation of Certain Objective Measurements to Weights of Beef Cattle

J. J. Wanderstock and G. W. Salisbury1

Cornell University,2

Abstract

A study was made of the relationship between the heart girth measurement and the body weight of 100 Aberdeen-Angus and 45 Hereford good-to-choice fat yearling steers ranging in weight from 640 to 1,150 pounds. Also, data were obtained on height at withers, patella or round, and body length for 36 of the Aberdeen-Angus steers and for 30 of the Hereford steers. Heart girth measurements and body weights were also obtained on 27 Aberdeen-Angus heifers and cows of the University herd, ranging in age from two to twelve years.

The coefficients of correlation between heart girth and body weight were 0.91 for the Hereford steers, 0.89 for the Aberdeen-Angus steers, 0.88 for all steers, and 0.93 for the heifers and cows, all highly significant statistically. These coefficients were of a higher magnitude for the lighter steers as compared with the heavier steers, indicating a greater accuracy in predicting the weight of the former. The correlation coefficient for the cows was smaller than that for the heifers, each being smaller than the correlation coefficients for the steers.

A calculation of the regression of the logarithms of actual live weight on the logarithms of heart girth measurements, indicating a straight line relationship, showed that the Aberdeen-Angus steers were lighter than the Hereford steers in relation to their heart girth measurements. The regression line for the heifers and cows indicated that they were heavier than the steers in relation to their heart girth measurements, especially at the larger tape measurements.

Regression equations, in logarithms, for predicting weight from heart girth measurements are presented.

Calculation of the interrelationships between heart girth, height at withers, patella or round, body length, the Minnesota formula (heart girth xheart girth xbody length÷300), and body weight for all of the steers showed that the correlation coefficients were highly significant for every combination except for that between height at withers and patella, which was significant. There was a trend towards greater significance in these relationships for the lighter steers as compared with the heavier steers. The most significant single measure for estimating weight was the heart girth measurement, which was only slightly less significant than the more detailed estimation obtained by using the Minnesota formula.

Footnotes

1 The authors are indebted to Professor H. A. Willman, Department of Animal Husbandry, who made it possible to obtain these measurements and weights.

2 Department of Animal Husbandry, Ithaca, New York.






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