A Comparison of Weight Estimation Methods in Adult Horses

作者：Wagner Elizabeth L^*; Tyler Patricia J

来源：Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 2011, 31(12): 706-710.

DOI：10.1016/j.jevs.2011.05.002

• Weight tape
• Weight estimation
• Estimation formula
• Horses

Weight tapes and body weight estimation formulas are routinely used to determine the body weight of a horse when a scale is not available. The established formula to estimate body weight in mature horses is weight (kg) = (heartgirth(2) x body length)/(11,880 cm(3)). Two variations of the body length measurement have been used, measuring distance from the point of the shoulder to the ischial tuberosity (Point) or to the midpoint of the distance between the widest part of the stifle and the tail when viewed from the rear (Stifle). The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of a commercial weight tape and the body weight estimation formula using both body length measurements in estimating weight of adult horses. Horses (n = 145) were weighed on a portable livestock scale, and measured for height at the withers, heart girth circumference, and body length by using the Point and Stifle measurements. A commercial weight tape was used to estimate body weight on 110 horses. The two formula weight estimations and the weight tape estimation were significantly different from the actual weight and from each other. The mean difference between actual weight and tape weight (n = 110) was 65.81 kg, whereas the differences between actual weight and the formula estimations (n = 145) were 17.25 kg for the Point measurement and 45.26 kg for the Stifle measurement. The estimation formula using body length measurement with the ischial tuberosity endpoint most closely estimates the actual body weight of the horses. Published by Elsevier Inc.

• 出版日期2011-12