Body composition and body reserves in indigenous Ethiopian fat-tailed sheep breeds

Changes in body composition and body reserves with age and growth of indigenous Ethiopian fat-tailed sheep breeds were assessed. The suitability of isotope dilution technique (utilizing Deuterium oxide, D2O) to estimate total body water (TBW) and thereby body composition was investigated. The accuracy of prediction of body components from a combination of D2O space and morphological traits (heart girth, height at withers, body length and tail volume) was evaluated. Results obtained confirm that D2O dilution technique can be successfully used to estimate TBW in tropical sheep. Equations containing D2O space along with other body measurements gave a more accurate prediction of body components. In view of the cost of D2O, however, the use of body measurements alone in prediction equations will have promise in field applications.