The first morphological study of the Sloughi dog breed in Algeria

Abstract

act The present work aims to study morphometric profile, calculate body indices, and determine mathematical models that will be used for the estimation of adult live weights based on body measurements using multiple regression models in an endangered heritage breed, the Algerian Sloughi dog, raised in three different geographical regions of Algeria. The animal material of the study consisted of 105 Sloughi dogs, which included 30 individuals belonging to the eastern, 35 from the central, and 40 from the western regions of Algeria. Least squares means for height at withers and rump; head length and width; muzzle, ear, neck, body, tail lengths; muzzle, head, chest, waist, thigh, forearm, and wrist circumferences were used as body measurements. Least squares means for indices of massiveness, format, cephalic, body–tail, bone, muzzle–head, withers–rump, head–neck, ear–head length, and ear–head width were calculated using body measurements. Of the multiple regression models, the highest coefficients of determination (R² ) were obtained from the models formed from height at withers, height at withers and thigh circumference or height at withers, thigh circumference and chest circumference together (R² = 0.70, R² = 0.79 and R² = 0.86 respectively). This study concluded that live weight of Algerian Sloughi dog breed could be estimated with a high accuracy using body measurements and statistical methods.