Multivariate analysis of body measures in Mangalarga Marchador foals: Discriminant analysis

This work aims to evaluate the body measures of colts and fillies of Mangalarga Marchador breed using a discriminant analysis. Measures were performed at birth week, in 55 colts and 41 fillies; at six months age, in 35 colts and 37 fillies; and at twelve months age, in 19 colts and 31 fillies. There were made 25 linear measures, including height, length, width and girth, plus 11 angular measures. Discriminant analysis was used to verify morphologic differences between the animals, in function of sex and age within each sex. In newly born, fetlock and knee girths, body and head lengths, withers height, distance from stifle to hock and femur-tibial angle were the measures that has been differentiated sex. At six months of age, knee girth, thoracic girths and fetlock girth, neck length and shoulder-floor angle were measures that has been differentiated sex. At twelve months of age, knee and thoracic girths, withers and croup heights, humerus-radial and coxal-floor angles had evidenced sex dimorphism. The males were in general larger than females for linear measures, except for the thoracic girth, which was larger in the females. Errors of age classification were observed mainly after fourth months of age which indicate environmental influence after weaning.