Zoometric and morphological characterization of Manabi creole cattle (Ecuador)

The population of Creole cattle in Manabi's province (Ecuador) was studied through the analysis of 15 zoometric variables, 15 zoometric indexes and 25 morphological variables. The sample was composed by 773 animals (753 females and 20 males) from 121 farmer distributed in 22 "cantons" (regions) of Manabi's province in order to obtain the racial characterization of this cattle population. Descriptive statistics of the studied variables were calculated, besides, an analysis of variance was realized considering the sex as the only one factor of variation. By the same way the coefficients of correlation Pearson among all the morphological variables and the body weight were estimated. The average values of zoometric variables were 21.83 +/- 3.28 (ACF); 48.43 +/- 5.96 (LCF); 28.96 +/- 4.09 (LR); 20.04 +/- 2.55 (LCR); 131.97 +/- 6.69 (ACR); 54.08 +/- 19.17 (DBC); 55.97 +/- 9.15 (DEE); 74.40 +/- 6.02 (DDE); 174.95 +/- 15.34 (PT); 17.78 +/- 1.27 (PC); 167.15 +/- 20.29 (LOI); 135.14 +/- 7.63 (AEG); 43.90 +/- 7.60 (AG); 44.89 +/- 5.09 (AII); 455.97 +/- 103.00 (PV), with significative differences between males and females (P<0.05), for most variables except in DBC y DDE. In agreement with the obtained results, the most part of Manabi's cattle population is composed of animals of a straight profile, eumetric body and different variants of red colour coat; also, short and smooth hair, mucous and pigmented hoofs; always, with the presence of horns predominating the type "proceros" (those with birth front the line of the neck); medium-sized ears horizontally, dewlap is constant or discontinuous absence of hump and umbilical fold. As a whole, the studied animals had from moderated degree of homogeneity and harmony; highlights, the existence of an important sexual dimorphism, where males get more corporal development than females. Likewise, this population have a major corporal size than other next Iberoamerican creole cattle breeds, probably due to an adaptive mechanism to the environment where these cattle are traditionally produced. Finally, these results indicate that this population supports important similarities with the original Iberian cattle, taking part in the set of the tropical creole cattle of dual purpose.