Morphological study in Azeri and Khuzestani buffaloes of Iran

Abstract

In order to evaluate and compare the properties of type traits in Khuzestani and Azeri river buffaloes, 148 and 336 Khuzestani and Azeri buffaloes were used, respectively. Animals were evaluated for traits such as Height at Withers, Body depth, Body length, Heart girth, Hip width, Pin width and Hip to Pin length. The averages for these traits in Khuzestani breed were 145.2±6.63, 78.27±5.43, 140.5±10.05, 208.87±13.75, 57±4.44, 25.29±3.03 and 44±2.97 cm and in Azeri breed were 138.93±6.39, 76.4±5.61, 136.22±10.05, 184±13.66, 54.96±4.85, 26.43±3.94 and 43.8±3.44 cm, respectively. The effect of breed on height at withers, heart girth and hip width was quite significant (P<0.001) and values for these traits in Khuzestani breed was higher than Azeri. The effect of parity number for all studied traits was significant (P<0.001), except for the heart girth. Heifers had the lowest values among different age groups and differences in this group increased with increasing age and parity. Also, the effects of province as a factor for climate and culture circumstances on studied traits was quite significant (P<0.001), except for the heart girth and hip to Pin length. Buffaloes in Guilan province had lowest and buffaloes in Khuzestan and Kermanshah provinces had the highest values.