Gichure Mary, Onono Joshua, Wahome Raphael, Gathura Peter
Chuka University, Department of Animal Sciences, Chuka, Kenya.
University of Nairobi, Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Nairobi, Kenya.
Vet Med Int. 2020 Oct 16;2020:8816983. doi: 10.1155/2020/8816983. eCollection 2020.
The study aimed to assess the phenotypic characteristics of donkeys and their suitability for work. Data were collected on age, sex, coat color, height at withers, body length, and heart girth from 360 randomly sampled donkeys raised in a highland agroecological system in Kenya between the months of June and September 2018. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA with the sex of the donkey and age group treated as sources of variation. The weight of donkeys was estimated using a formulae incorporating body length and heart girth. The study reveals that the average weight of the working donkey in the central highlands of Kenya was 155.5 kgs ± SE 1.71. Their height at withers was 99.7 cm ± SEM 0.50, with a heart girth of 113.7 cm ± SEM 0.43 and a body length of 113.2 cm ± SEM 0.58. All these body measurements varied significantly by sex and age group ( < 0.001). Therefore, donkeys raised in Kenya had the same height but heavier, with longer body lengths and heart girth measurements when compared to other domesticated working donkeys in different parts of the world indicating genetic diversity, differences in ecogeographical conditions and husbandry practices. The majority (86%) of the donkeys were in good welfare conditions with moderate to ideal 86% body condition scores, minimal body lesions 5%, and lameness 18%. The results are useful for extension agents and donkey users when estimating optimal pack or cart loads in line with their welfare. The findings provide opportunities for future research on the reasons for phenotypic diversity between donkeys raised in Kenya and other parts of the world.
该研究旨在评估驴的表型特征及其工作适用性。于2018年6月至9月期间，从肯尼亚高地农业生态系统中随机抽取360头驴，收集其年龄、性别、毛色、肩高、体长和胸围数据。采用描述性统计和方差分析对数据进行分析，将驴的性别和年龄组作为变异来源。使用结合体长和胸围的公式估算驴的体重。研究表明，肯尼亚中部高地工作用驴的平均体重为155.5千克±标准误1.71。它们的肩高为99.7厘米±标准误0.50，胸围为113.7厘米±标准误0.43，体长为113.2厘米±标准误0.58。所有这些身体测量值在性别和年龄组之间存在显著差异（<0.001）。因此，与世界其他地区的其他家养工作用驴相比，肯尼亚饲养的驴身高相同，但体重更重，体长和胸围测量值更长，这表明存在遗传多样性、生态地理条件差异和饲养管理方式差异。大多数（86%）驴的福利状况良好，身体状况评分为中等至理想，身体损伤最少（5%），跛足率为18%。这些结果对于推广人员和驴使用者在根据驴的福利估计最佳驮载或车载负荷时很有用。研究结果为未来研究肯尼亚饲养的驴与世界其他地区的驴之间表型多样性的原因提供了机会。
