Estimation of live bodyweight from linear body measurements and body condition score in the West African Savannah Shorthorn cattle in North-West Benin

This study was undertaken to provide easy and optimal live bodyweight (LW) estimate models for the West African Shorthorn Somba cattle breed under field conditions using morphometric traits. Based on data from 289 animals of different age categories (calves: suckling 3 years) kept under smallholder management conditions, simple (linear, quadratic, allometric) and multiple (linear, quadratic) regression models were used to explore the relationships between LW, body condition score (BCS) and six linear body measurements, while taking animal’s age and sex into consideration. On the contrary to the BCS, all morphometric measurements were positively and highly correlated with Somba cattle LW (r = 0.90–0.97; p < 0.001). Of all linear body measurements, the chest girth (CG) gave the highest correlation coefficient with LW and fitted best Somba cattle LW predicting model in allometric regression (LW = 1.33 × 10−4 × CG2.89; R2 = 0.97) irrespective of age and sex categories. Age and sex influenced the relationships between morphometric measurements and LW. However, their inclusion in the regression equations did not improve the predictive power of the models. The measurement of CG only proved sufficient for the estimation of LW in allometric regression model. Furthermore, it could be easily and accurately measured by everyone. Hence, this model could be used by farmers and researchers to efficiently predict and monitor LW, and optimize productivity of the West African Shorthorn Somba cattle herds in smallholder farming systems