Patterns of Growth of Bali Cattle Body Dimensions 1

The aim of this study was to determine the patterns of growth of Bali cattle body dimensions. The study used completely randomized design consisting of three factors, i.e., sex, growth period and the time of measurement. The main factors are sex (entire male/bull and female) and the period of growth (aged 0-4 months, aged 5-9 months, aged 10-14 months, aged 15-19 months, aged 20-24 months and aged 25-29) and each combination of sex and growth period had six replicates, thus number of cattle used was 2 x 6 x 6 = 72 heads. The sub-factor is the time or frequency of measurement, which is performed once every month as often as five times; hence the data obtained everybody dimensions are 2 x 6 x 6 x 5 = 360 pieces.Results of the study showed that there were no differences in body dimensions of the entire male (bull) and the female calves at birth. However, the more mature of the entire male calves the larger the size of their body dimensions compared to those of the females calves. Both the entire male and female cattle had a sigmoid growth curve. The inflection points of dimension growth curves of the female were achieved at earlier age compared to those of the entire male cattle. Each dimension had its respective inflection point at which the growth rates of the body dimensions started to decrease. Growth rates of the length dimensions of the both sexes began to decrease (slower) before they reached 5 months of age, excepted the horns that reached a slower rate after 10 months of age. Height dimensions growth rates of the both sexes started to decline before they reached 4 months of age. Growth rates of the entire male and female circumference dimensions were achieved after they aged 4 months and before