Regression Equations for Estimating the Weight of Taiwanese Buffaloes from Size Characteristics(1)

We investigated the growth rate and appearance traits of a herd of 83 buffaloes in Eastern Taiwan. Parity, body weight and length, withers height, and chest girth (from birth to > 5 years of age) were recorded. The results indicated the mean male buffalo body weights at birth and at 6, 9, 12, and 24 months old were 38.2 ± 5.3, 102.2 ± 16.0, 143.7 ± 24.1, 176.5 ± 28.4, 194.6 ± 34.1, and 323.3 ± 69.0 kg, respectively. The mean female buffalo body weights at birth and at 6, 9, 12 and 24 months old were 37.8 ± 5.8, 90.6 ± 17.2, 137.9 ± 21.9, 155.9 ± 25.3, 171.1 ± 28.2, and 311.4 ± 53.0 kg, respectively. Male buffaloes were significantly heavier than their female counterparts at 3, 9 and 12 months old ( P < 0.05). The fitted regression equations for body weight with respect to chest girth from birth to 6 months old and from 6 to 24 months old, respectively, were (1) weight = 2.04 × chest girth − 124.19 and (2) weight = 4.19 × chest girth − 387.80. The respective R 2 values were as high as 0.93, and all P values were significant ( P < 0.0001), indicating that these regression equations are useful for estimating the weight of Taiwanese buffaloes in the absence of a scale. Additionally, the mean birth weight for buffalo calves from primiparous buffalo cows was significantly lower than that for parous buffalo cows (32.1 vs. 40.3 kg, P < 0.0001).