Abstract:
To analyze the correlation between body weight and body size indicators of adult Yihe Wapiti, a total of 138 healthy Yihe Wapiti(74 males and 64 females) aged 5-10 years were experimentally measured for their body weight(Y) and body size indicators body length(X
1), body height(X
2), head length(X
3), chest circumference(X
4), chest depth(X
5), frontal width(X
6), canal circumference(X
7), and tail length(X
8). The correlation between body weight and body size was analyzed. The direct and indirect effects of body size index on body weight were analyzed by path analysis, and the optimal regression model of body weight and body size of Yihe Wapiti was established by stepwise regression analysis. The results showed that the correlation coefficient between body length and body weight of adult Yihe Wapiti was the highest(0.851, 0.961); the direct effect of body length on body weight of male and female deer was the largest, and the indirect effect of body height of male and female deer was the largest. The optimal regression equation for the weight and body size of Yihe Wapiti was Y=-28.562+1.543X
1+0.471X
4,(R~2=0.738). The optimal regression equation for the weight and body size of Yihe Wapiti was Y=-85.141+1.499X
1+0.796X
5+0.565X
7+0.277X
6+0.216X
8,(R~2=0.969). The results indicated that the selection of body length, chest circumference, chest depth and tube circumference as well as the selection of body weight should be emphasized during the breeding and actual production of Yihe Wapiti from antler to meat purpose.