Morphometric Study of Local Algerian Cattle Breeds and Prediction of Carcass Weight from Linear Body Measurements: Case of Setifien and Guelmoise Breeds

Background: In zootechnics, the utilization of local breeds adapted to harsh environmental conditions is a practical strategy for improving performance, particularly in breeding and animal improvement projects. This morphometric study of local Algerian cattle breeds highlights the main characteristics of the two breeds studied. Methods: The study focused on 60 male cattle, including 30 Setifien and 30 Guelmoise breeds, aged between 24 and 36 months. For each subject, nine biometric measurements were taken prior to slaughter: wither height (WH), thoracic circumference (TC), abdominal circumference (AC), scapulo-Ischial length (SIL), head length (HL), bizygomatic width (BIW), hip width (HIW), cannon circumference (CC) and cannon length (CL). Post-slaughter, the carcass weight (CW) of each animal was also recorded. Data analysis included univariate, bivariate and multivariate statistical methods. Result: The morpho-biometric comparison between the two studied breeds revealed that the Setifien breed has higher average values for all parameters compared to the Guelmoise breed. The Guelmoise breed is smaller in size (WH=113 cm), while the Setifien breed is larger (WH=121 cm), exhibiting values higher than those of African rustic breeds. Strong correlations were observed between carcass weight and most parameters, supporting the use of linear regression equations to estimate carcass weight from biometric measurements.