MORPHOMETRIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVALUATIONS OF NIGERIAN DONKEY (EQUUS ASINUS)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphometric variation in Nigerian donkeys. The study was carried out at the Equine and Camel Research Programme NAPRI/ A. B. U, Shika Zaria. Forty (40) donkeys consisting of young and adult, male and female, divided into 4 groups of 10 donkeys each, were used for this study. Fourteen (14) body parameters measured include: Height withers, height rump, body length, chest depth, front leg length, heart girth circumference, tail length, cannon circumference fore limb, cannon circumference hind limb, neck length, neck circumference, head width, head length and ear length. The morphometric indexes determined include; Body Profile Index, Pectoral height index, Dactyl thoracic index, Front-back height, massive index, Relative Body Index. Values were subjected to one-way ANOVA. The findings in this study showed that young and adult donkeys do not have the same body parameter and this increases with age. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in; HDW, NL, FLL, BL, CD, HGC, CCH and HW between the males and females adult donkeys, with the adult males having higher values than the females. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in, NL, BL, HGC, HR, CCH and CD between the young males and female donkey, with the young males having higher values than the females. In conclusion, this study provided insight into morphological and morphometric measurements of donkeys and highlighted the variability that exists between the genders and age group based on the morphological parameters. Also, the morphometric indices revealed that the donkeys in this study are short legged (PHI > 0.56) with a slant back FBH > 1, indicating overload.