Goat Weights Obtained From Innovated and Two Other Scales Prior to Experimental Trypanosome Infection

Abstract

In generating base line weights from quarantined goats intended for an experimental trypanosome infection, two existing types of scales were compared to a third type which was innovated to enhance holding of animal and minimise stressfulness usually involved in the weighing process.

The aim of using the three scales concurrently was to find comparability of the innovated or improvised scale to the step-on and hook scales during the pre-infection period in order to justify its subsequent use or discontinuance during the infection period when the animals were exposed to the stress of infection.

Weights obtained from the three scales were comparable (improvised scale = 13.94 ± 0.12^b, step-on scale = 13.76 ± 0.11^b, hook scale = 14.33 ± 0.17^a). However, analysis of variance showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) weights and greater standard deviation in measurements on the hook scale than the other two types of scale which had greater concurrence between them.  It was concluded that either improvised scale or step-on scale could be used as a more accurate weighing device in preference to the hook scale.

Keywords: Goat, Comparative weights, Weighing scale, Innovation, Trypanosome infection.