Weight is the most revealing and important factor in selection and production as well as animal performance as a whole (Raji et al., 2008). Live weight is used for body mass because it varies continuously with feeding, watering, dropping, urinating, breathing and etc.
Some of the factors to consider on why weight is crucial in animals are:
- Weight is very effective in assessing the reproductive efficiency and growth performance in animals.
- It can be used in determining the health status of an animal when measured in relation to its age.
- In addition, weight can also be used in measuring the correct dose of therapeutic pharmaceutical to treat animal diseases, to avoid the risk of underdosing or overdosing.
- Weight can be used to determine the correct amount of feed an animal can get, to avoid underfeeding or overfeeding.
- It also allows you to determine the possible values of the live animal in relation to the market price.
- Weighing also helps in determining the weaning time of an animal.
Different methods used to measure body weight
The most common methods to measure body weight are:
- The electronic scale.
- The use of weight band.
- Height, width and heart girth.
Electronic scale
Electronic scales are the most commonly used method to determine the weight of animal, which has been used across the world on different animals and species.
Weight band
It’s a tape/belt that is placed around the body parts of an animal that measures and converts lengths (cm) to kilograms (kg). Weight bands have been used on different animal species namely: sheep, goat, beef and dairy cattle.
Height, width and heart girth.
Height, width and heart girth are often used to predict live weight in cattle. The heart girth tape helps to empower the farmers with knowledge about the value of their animals which then improves trade, their economic situation and livestock improvement.
The important thing to keep in mind is that weight is crucial for all farmers to avoid the loss of money, it assists in making decisions for breeding, feeding and veterinary service provision and the use of body measurement is more practical, faster, easier and cheaper especially for those farmers that have access to low capital, with little education and minimum supervision.
Source: Farm4trade
