Morphometric characterization using a multivariate approach: The case of cattle breeds raised on traditional cattle farms in northern Côte d’Ivoire
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Abstract
One of the major constraints to cattle breeding development in Côte d’Ivoire is the limited knowledge of the genetic composition of the national herd. To address this gap, a study was carried out on livestock farms in the northern (Poro, Bagoué, and Tchologo) and northeastern (Bounkani) regions to identify and characterize the breeds and genetic types of Ivorian cattle. Farmers’ identifications were recorded, and 275 animals comprising 24 N’Dama, 15 Baoulé, 86 Zebu, 138 Méré, and 12 exotic crossbreeds were described using 27 morphological descriptors (13 qualitative and 14 quantitative). Descriptive analysis showed that qualitative traits were unreliable for breed differentiation. However, multivariate analysis of quantitative traits revealed significant morphological differences (p < 0.05) among genetic types. Exotic crossbreeds and Zebu exhibited significantly greater body measurements (p < 0.05) than Baoulé and N’Dama cattle. Four descriptors, height at withers, horn length, muzzle circumference, and head length, accounted for most of these variations. The significance of Mahalanobis distances (p < 0.05) confirmed that the breeds form distinct populations. Nonetheless, the moderate reclassification rates indicate overlaps and potential misidentification based on morphology alone. These findings highlight the limitations of phenotypic characterization and underscore the need for molecular analyses to clarify the genetic structure and relationships among Ivorian cattle breeds and genetic types.
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