Use of multivariate analysis as a tool in the morphological characterization of the main indigenous bovine ecotypes in northeastern Algeria

Abstract

Sustainability in livestock farming requires monitoring of autochthonous breeds which are well adapted to the local environment. The morphometric measurements seem to be the first approach which can provide useful information on the suitability of animal genetic resources for selection. In this work, thirteen morphometric variables were used for the phenotypic characterization of 130 adult autochthones cattle randomly selected from 30 local farms in Guelma. There were cases from four commonly accepted and traditional ecotypes: Guelmois, Cheurfa, Sétifien and Fawn. The results showed several and significant positive correlations between the different variables. Correlations were analyzed using Varimax orthogonal rotation PCA and three factors were extracted, which explain more than 75% of the total variation in the four ecotypes. Stepwise discriminant analysis showed that 6 of the 13 variables had discriminatory power to define the phenotypic profile of the ecotypes. Canonical discriminant analysis indicated that the Sétifien ecotype is separate from the other three ecotypes. Mahalanobis distances were significant between the different ecotypes except for the distance between the Guelmois and Fawn ecotypes. The cross-validation procedure assigned 91.42% of the Sétifien animals to their genetic group, while the percentages of animals assigned to the Cheurfa, Guelmois and Fawn ecotypes were 80.00%, 65.71% and 53.33% respectively. The multivariate approach has proven to be effective in differentiating the four ecotypes, with clear morphological differences from the Sétifien ecotype that may benefit from a genetic improvement program for more sustainable genetic resources preservation.

Multivariate analysis of morphometric traits of Malaimadu cattle – Autochthonous draught cattle of south India

“…Use of multivariate methods in analysing the morphometric traits to access the within and between population diversity will play a signi cant role in upkeeping of autochthonous genetic resources (Birteeb et al, 2014). Multivariate analyses of morphometric traits have been reported to be effective for High CV pertaining to horn parameters (HL, HCB, HCM, HCT, HDB, HDM, HDT) and FW may be due to the fact that selection was not applied or in uenced more by the environmental factors for these traits, which was in concordance with Bousbia et al (2021). Lesser variability in BL, CG, HW, FL and PG reveals that the Malaimadu cattle are of similar in their body size.…”

Sustaining livestock: minimum technical requirements and quality standards for Angus Grade - Black Cattle in Sragen Regency in supporting livestock preservation

“…Phenotypic characterization functions as indicators for assessing production performance and characterizing livestock populations. Utilizing these indicators allows for the evaluation, management, and conservation of livestock, considering their morphological relationships [5]. Aberdeen Angus cattle are recognized for their black coats and inherent hornlessness (polled) [6].…”

Alternative Approaches to Feeding Small Ruminants and Their Potential Benefits

“…In order to deal with these effects, there is an urgent need to transform agriculture, livestock farming, and food systems towards more sustainable production methods that respect the environment and meet consumers' expectations while providing substantial income and good working conditions to the local farmers [10][11][12][13][14]. The reduction in carbon footprints and greenhouse gas fluxes, the production of environmentally friendly and healthier food products, as well as the genetic conservation and preservation of local breeds that are well-adapted to the local environment, are potential strategies that can be profitable and can safeguard natural resources for future generations [8,[15][16][17][18].…”