Biometrics (bios that means life and metron that means measurement in Greek) in biology is the set of scientific measurement techniques and their mathematical and/or biostatistical treatment to measure parameters of living beings. They are the biological measures, or physical characteristics, that can be used to identify animals.
In the case of the Pallaresa Breed, most of the adult animals are measured. Initially, measurements of 21 morphological variables of each animal were taken from specific anatomical reference points and a procedure established by the experts.
The measurements taken are: height at the withers (AC), height at the back (AD), height at the croup (AG), height at the sternum (AE), longitudinal diameter (DL), bicostal diameter (DB), diameter dorso-sternal (DDE), width between shoulders (AmE), thoracic perimeter (PT), rump length (LG), rump width (AmG), shank circumference (PC), head length (LC), head width (AmC), head depth (PrC), cranial length (LCr), facial length (LF), facial width (AmF), cranial width (AmCr), horn perimeter (PB), horn length – chord exterior- (LeB) and length of the horns -interior chord- (LiB).
The measurements were taken in adult females (> 36 months), since the developing skeleton undergoes great changes in size and proportions, which could negatively interfere in the distinction between breeds.
The indices calculated from these variables are: Body Index (CI), Proportionality Index (IP), Body Ratio Index (IRC), Thoracic Development Index (IDT), Pectoral Index (IPc), Thoracic Index (IT) , dactyl-thoracic index (IDcT), cephalic index (ICEf), facial index (IFac) and pelvic index (IPl).
The devices that have been used to take these measurements are: hipometric stick (used to measure heights and widths), Brocas compass (to measure smaller distances in the head, croup…) and flexible tape measure. No weight measurement could be taken, but alive weight (PV) was estimated from the formula (7.616 x PT(cm)) – 899.2.
Table. Simple statistics corresponding to the weight estimate (kg) and linear measurements (cm) obtained. Abbreviations in the text.
| PV | AC | AD | AG | AE | DL | DB | DDE | AmE | PT | |
| Min | 410,7 | 124 | 127 | 130 | 50 | 150 | 44 | 67 | 36 | 172 |
| Max | 654,4 | 142 | 143 | 145 | 65 | 175 | 60 | 86 | 53 | 204 |
| Average | 529,61 | 131,4 | 133,5 | 136,7 | 57,5 | 162,5 | 48,3 | 73,8 | 45,48 | 187,6 |
| E.S. | 10,963 | 0,838 | 0,753 | 0,669 | 0,647 | 1,319 | 0,764 | 0,782 | 0,822 | 1,440 |
| CV (%) | 11 | 3,37 | 2,98 | 2,589 | 5,95 | 4,29 | 8,37 | 5,602 | 9,563 | 4,06 |
| Variance | 3365,7 | 19,665 | 15,883 | 12,545 | 11,735 | 48,777 | 16,386 | 17,136 | 18,916 | 58,025 |
| D.E. | 58,014 | 4,434 | 3,985 | 3,541 | 3,425 | 6,984 | 4,047 | 4,139 | 4,349 | 7,617 |
| Average | 532,68 | 132 | 134 | 137 | 57 | 164 | 48 | 74 | 46 | 188 |
| Bias | -0,075 | 0,223 | 0,329 | 0,561 | 0,567 | -0,134 | 1,148 | 0,871 | -0,179 | -0,075 |
| Kurtosis | -0,079 | -0,202 | -0,176 | 0,566 | 0,748 | -0,669 | 1,212 | 1,353 | -0,316 | -0,079 |
| W | 0,985 | 0,968 | 0,960 | 0,961 | 0,928 | 0,969 | 0,887 | 0,950 | 0,973 | 0,985 |
| P(normal) | 0,949 | 0,545 | 0,351 | 0,377 | 0,056 | 0,557 | 0,005 | 0,202 | 0,669 | 0,949 |
| LG | AmG | PB | LC | AmC | PrC | LCr | |
| Min | 40 | 40 | 14,5 | 45 | 21 | 33 | 13 |
| Max | 55 | 55 | 20,5 | 56 | 27 | 41 | 18 |
| Average | 49,9 | 47,0 | 17,7 | 51,5 | 23,8 | 37,4 | 15,8 |
| E.S. | 0,721 | 0,816 | 0,282 | 0,523 | 0,350 | 0,376 | 0,293 |
| CV (%) | 7,644 | 9,176 | 8,424 | 5,372 | 7,791 | 5,316 | 9,832 |
| Variance | 14,544 | 18,628 | 2,228 | 7,665 | 3,434 | 3,951 | 2,398 |
| D.E. | 3,814 | 4,316 | 1,493 | 2,769 | 1,853 | 1,988 | 1,549 |
| Average | 50 | 47 | 18 | 52 | 24 | 37 | 16 |
| Bias | -1,124 | 0,146 | -0,321 | -0,380 | 0,112 | -0,165 | -0,475 |
| Kurtosis | 1,543 | -0,824 | -0,161 | -0,057 | -1,153 | 0,093 | -1,044 |
| W | 0,898 | 0,967 | 0,968 | 0,952 | 0,934 | 0,949 | 0,889 |
| P(normal) | 0,010 | 0,514 | 0,531 | 0,226 | 0,075 | 0,189 | 0,006 |
| LF | AmF | AmCr | LeB | LiB | PC | |
| Min | 33 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 21 | 19 |
| Max | 40 | 14,5 | 22 | 33,5 | 27 | 25 |
| Average | 36,1 | 12,8 | 19,6 | 30,0 | 23,8 | 22,0 |
| E.S. | 0,302 | 0,177 | 0,266 | 0,315 | 0,312 | 0,311 |
| CV (%) | 4,431 | 7,313 | 7,188 | 5,556 | 6,953 | 7,484 |
| Variance | 2,557 | 0,877 | 1,982 | 2,778 | 2,731 | 2,702 |
| D.E. | 1,599 | 0,936 | 1,408 | 1,667 | 1,653 | 1,644 |
| Average | 36 | 13 | 19 | 30 | 24 | 22 |
| Bias | 0,843 | -0,581 | 0,350 | 0,149 | 0,535 | -0,047 |
| Kurtosis | 0,705 | 1,663 | -0,700 | -0,783 | -0,517 | -0,630 |
| W | 0,891 | 0,908 | 0,924 | 0,969 | 0,945 | 0,950 |
| P(normal) | 0,007 | 0,017 | 0,043 | 0,547 | 0,146 | 0,197 |
E.S.: standard error
CV(%): coefficient of variation
D.E.: standard deviation
W: Shapiro-Wilk
Table. Simple statistics corresponding to the indeces obtained. Abbreviations in the text.
| IC | IP | IRC | IDT | IPc | IT | IDcT | ICef | IFac | IPl | |
| Min | 82,70 | 72,4 | 0,93 | 136,40 | 106,30 | 53,50 | 10,30 | 40,00 | 30,30 | 83,60 |
| Max | 96,10 | 87,0 | 0,99 | 151,10 | 153,60 | 85,70 | 12,80 | 54,20 | 38,90 | 105,00 |
| Average | 86,65 | 80,98 | 0,96 | 142,72 | 128,91 | 65,59 | 11,70 | 46,26 | 35,48 | 94,36 |
| E.S. | 0,510 | 0,871 | 0,003 | 0,717 | 2,249 | 1,155 | 0,118 | 0,784 | 0,409 | 1,136 |
| Variance | 7,280 | 21,248 | 0,000 | 14,413 | 141,602 | 37,355 | 0,390 | 17,228 | 4,693 | 36,109 |
| D.E. | 2,698 | 2,93 | 0,016 | 3,796 | 11,900 | 6,112 | 0,625 | 4,151 | 2,166 | 6,009 |
| Average | 86,05 | 123,40 | 0,96 | 142,70 | 128,95 | 64,55 | 11,75 | 45,20 | 35,20 | 94,20 |
| Bias | 1,865 | 1,006 | -0,553 | 0,280 | 0,112 | 1,101 | -0,133 | 0,193 | -0,517 | -0,007 |
| Kurtosis | 4,804 | 2,565 | 0,263 | -0,256 | -0,289 | 3,408 | -0,485 | -1,058 | 0,479 | -0,886 |
| W | 0,845 | 0,936 | 0,875 | 0,979 | 0,977 | 0,927 | 0,975 | 0,948 | 0,945 | 0,969 |
| P(normal) | 0,001 | 0,085 | 0,003 | 0,830 | 0,782 | 0,051 | 0,706 | 0,177 | 0,147 | 0,553 |
E.S.: standard error
D.E.: standard deviation
W: Shapiro-Wilk