The present study was conducted at Livestock Experiment Station Khizrabad (Sargodha). Khizrabad is a small town of tehsil Bhalwal district Sargodha. The objective of the study was to fing out or develop the relationship between live body weight and body measurements in Kajli sheep. The sheep were arranged in nine age groups, A 0-3, B 4-6, C 7-9, D10-12, E= 13-15, F16-18, G 19-21, H 22-24 and 1 above 24 months. Group A, B, C, and D were further divided into sub groups (Male & Female), where as the groups E, F, G, H and I comprised of Ewes only. Body weights were taken using digital weighing scale and measurements of body height at wither, body length, heart girth, head length, head width, rump length and rump width with the help of measuring tape graduated with inches. Data on 788 female! 120 male and total of 908 observations of different age groups of sheep were collected. The mean height at wither (Inches) of Kajli sheep in nine age groups (0-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-15, 16-18, 19-21, 22-24 and above 24 months of age) was found to be 19.34 ± 1.36 (Overall), 19.33 ± 1.33 (female), 19.52 ± 1.26 (male), 20.42 ± 1.04 (Overall), 20.54 ± 1.01 (female), 20.25 ± 1.11 (male), 21.59 ± 0.90 (Overall), 21.84 ± 0.97 (female), 21.38 ± 0.78 (male), 23.55 ± 1.00 (Overall), 23.76 ± 0.84 (female), 22.58 ± 1.14 (male), 27.34 ± 1.25, 28.57 ± 0.92, 28.49 ± 1.39, 29.30 ± 1.01 and 29.57 ±1.30. The mean body length (Inches) in Kajli sheep in nine age group was noted to be 17.76 ± 1.44 (Overall), 17.76 ± 1.21 (female), 17.92 ± 1.48 (male), 20.18 ± 1.26 (Overall), 20.54 ± 1.32 (female), 19.68 ± 1.03 (male), 20.72 ± 1.22 (Overall), 20.54 ± 0.94 (female), 20.86 ± 1.40 (male), 22.23 ± 0.88 (Overall), 22.44 ± 0.72 (female), 21.30 ± 0.94 (male), 26.51 ± 1.36, 27.95 ±1.21, 27.77 ± 1.59, 28.65 ± 1.41 and 29.16 ±1.3. The mean heart girth (Inches) for all age groups was 18.64 ± 1.46 (Overall), 18.70 ± 1.46 (female), 18.69 ± 1.37 (male), 20.94 ± 1.20 (Overall), 21.21 ± 0.94 (female), 20.57 ± 1.45 (male), 21.63 ± 1.06 (Overall), 21.59 ± 0.99 (female), 21.67 ± 1.12 (male), 23.46 ± 1.82 (Overall), 23.66 ± 1.87 (female), 22.55 ± 1.28 (male), 29.33 ± 1.95, 30.61 ±1.12, 31.48 ± 1.68, 32.42 ± 1.43 and 33.33 ±1.64 respectively. The mean head length (Inches) of Kajli sheep recorded in nine age groups was 7.55 ± 0.53 (Overall), 7.48 ± 0.55 (female), 7.68 ± 0.48 (male), 7.74 ± 0.53 (Overall), 7.64 ± 0.40 (female), 2.77 ± 0.20 (male), 8.02 ± 0.48 (Overall), 7.96 ± 0.42 (female), 8.07 ± 0.53 (male), 9.36 ± 0.82 (Overall), v.47 ± 0.81 (female), 8.88 ± 0.75 (male), 11.48 ± 0.65, 12.08 ± 0.77, 12.06 ± 0.71, 12.12± 0.77 and 12.52 ± 0.54 respectively. The mean head width (Inches) for all age groups was 2.70 ± 0.19 (Overall), 2.71 ± 0.19 (female), 2.69 ± 0.18 (male), 2.76 ± 0.19 (Overall), 2.75 ± 0.19 (female), 2.77 ± 0.20 (male), 2.83 ± 0.15 (Overall), 2.80 ± 0.15 (female), 2.86 ± 0.15 (male), 2.70 ± 0.20 (Overall), 2.71 ± 0.20 (female), 2.66 ± 0.21 (male), 3.23 ± 0.17, 3.44 ± 0.21, 3.23 ± 0.29, 3.22 ± 0.16 and 3.39 ± 0.23 respectively. The mean rump length (Inches) for all age groups was 3.82 ± 0.33 (Overall), 3.89 ± 0.29 (female), 3.74 ± 0.36 (male), 3.98 ± 0.19 (Overall), 4.02 ± 0.17 (female), 3.93 ± 0.21 (male), 4.03 ± 0.24 (Overall), 4.11 ± 0.32 (female), 3.97 ± 0.11 (male), 4.58 ± 0.21 (Overall), 4.61 ± 0.14 (female), 4.40 ± 0.34 (male), 5.49 ± 0.42, 5.68 ± 0.44, 5.79 ± 0.41, 5.85 ± 0.40 and 6.00 ± 0.41 respectively. The mean rump width (Inches) for all age groups was 6.03 ± 0.51 (Overall), 6.01 ± 0.50 (female), 6.04 ± 0.53 (male), 6.69 ± 0.35 (Overall), 6.66 ± 0.25 (female), 6.75 ± 0.47 (male), 6.89 ± 0.41 (Overall), 6.74 ± 0.43 (female), 7.02 ± 0.35 (male), 7.52 ± 0.24 (Overall), 7.56 ± 0.16 (female), 7.33 ± 0.42 (male), 8.18 ± 0.53, 8.98 ± 0.80, 8.73 ± 0.63, 9.06 ± 0.72 and 9.06 ± 0.65. The mean body weight (Kg) for all age groups was observed as 8.69 ± 1.56 (Overall), 8.68 ± 1.46 (female), 8.83 ± 1.63 (male), 12.27 ±1.36 (Overall), 12.42 ± 1.19 (female), 12.05 ± 1.59 (male), 13.25 ± 0.94 (Overall), 13.30 ± 1.01 (female), 13.22 ± 0.90 (male), 16.35 ± 1.85 (Overall), 16.63 ± 1.83. (female), 15.10 ± 1.38 (male), 31.84 ± 3.12, 37.18 ± 3.10, 38.03 ± 3.46, 41.97 ± 3.42 and 44.51 ±4.30, respectively.

The correlation between body weight and height at wither, body length, heart girth, head length, head width, rump length and rump width of group A were 0.698, 0.659, 0.829, 0.435, 0.287, 0.275 and 0.388, respectively, for females were 0.623, 0.582, 0.793, 0.453, 0.234, 0.258 and 0.297, respectively, while for male were 0.746, 0.689, 0.861, 0.342, 0.238, 0.283 and 0.489, respectively. For group B the correlation between body weight and height at wither, body length, heart girth, head length, head width, rump length and rump width were 0.737, 0.731, 0.845, 0.340, 0.250, 0.484 and 0.482, respectively. Correlation for female of group B were 0.714, 0.801, 0.760, 0.040, 0.094, 0.081 and 0.242, respectively, while for male were 0.757, 0.708, 0.910, 0.607, 0.431, 0.798 and 0.666, respectively. The correlation for group C were 0.315, 0.400, 0.300, 0.090, 0.05 1-0.180 and 0.004, respectively, for females were 0.362, 0.328, 0.354, 0.388, 0.078, 0.077 and 0.060, respectively, while for male were 0.262, 0.481, 0.263, 0.118, 0.047, 0.072 and 0.026, respectively. The correlation for group D were 0.906, 0.892, 0.778, 0.919, 0.703, 0.466 and 0.718, respectively, for females were 0.926, 0.912, 0.749, 0.908, 0.860, 0.333 and 0.768, respectively, while for male were 0.913, 0.912, 0.896, 0.956, 0.933, 0.740 and 0.835, respectively. The correlations for group E were 0.416, 0.305, 0.555, 0.361, 0.220, 0.452 and 0.448, respectively. The correlations for group F were 0.337, 0.612, 0.467, 0.493, 0.282, 0.357 and 0.690, respectively. The correlations for group G were 0.342, 0.3 18, 0.2 10, 0.397, 0.323, 0.427 and 0.199, respectively. The correlations for group H were 0.376, 0.055, 0.231, 0.126, 0.144, 0.360 and 0.187, respectively. The correlations for group I were 0.286, 0.184, 0.534, 0.117, 0.143, 0.158 and 0.270, respectively. It was found during the study that body weight was highly correlated with body measurements in Kajli sheep of all age groups. The height at wither, body length and heart girth were observed to be significantly correlated with body weight. During the present investigation males were heavier and longer than females in all age groups. Similarly the heart girth as well as height at wither were also bigger in males than those of females.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that body measurements had high correlation with body weight indicating that body measurements can be used for estimation of body weight in the field where scales are not usually available. These may also be used as selection criteria. However, further research is needed to investigate the relationship between the body weight and linear body measurements in other breeds of sheep, goats and other livestock breeds of the country.