Conformación corporal de las razas ovinas Pelibuey, Dorper y Kathadin en el estado de Veracruz, México. [Body conformation of sheep breeds Pelibuey, Dorper and Kathadin in the State of Veracruz, Mexico]

The objective of this study was to estimate body conformation on Pelibuey, Dorper and Kathadin sheeps using zoometric variables. Measures of each one of the races and racial differences was determined according to them, live weight was predicted by regression models based on physical variables. Sample was conformed 276 females (34,5%; 87 Pelibuey, 92 Dorper and 97 Kathadin) on nine farms (800 sheeps) of the State of Veracruz. Zoometric measures analyzed were: height at rump (H), height at withers (HW), body length (TL), thoracic perimeter (TP), circumference of the rod (CC), head width (C), fronto profile nose (bow) (NFP), ear length (LO), rump length (LG) and rump width (AG) in addition to body weight (BW) and age (E). The effect of race was decisive both in weight and in body conformation, we found that the variation between races is significant (P<0,05) while the Dorper the bigger, followed Kathadin and Pelibuey. We found a correlation between AP and AC (0,79), LT and AG (0,69), LG and AG (0,68). The model was used to determine the weight according to zoometric measures is: PV =-91,487 + 0,8282 PT + 0,403 LT + 1,4441 AG + 1,86284 CC (R2=0,85).