Abstract
The research was conducted to determine the phenotypic characteri-zations in two indigenous cattle breeds: Shwe Ni and Pyar Zein from central dry zone. A qualitative and quantitative measures were taken in 248 heads of over two- year aged indigenous cattle, 67 males and 57 females of Shwe Ni and 67 male and 57 females of Pyar Zein. The predominant qualitative differences between the two breeds were observed as not-pigmented red eyelid, red muzzle colour, and not-pigmented red hoof colour in Shwe Ni, whereas in Pyar Zein they were found to be pigmented black eyelid, black muzzle colour, and not-pigmented black hoof colour. Quantitative phenotypic variants such as body length, heart girth, horn length and muzzle circumference (cm) are 115.65±1.01, 180.31±1.36, 17.71±0.57 and 45.46 ±0.31 in male Pyar Zein which were significantly longer than those of male Shwe Ni having 112.47±1.37, 176.69±2.57, 9.30±0.76 and 44.63±0.53(P < 0.05). But male Shwe Ni showed significantly greater in ear length, face length and dewlap width than male Pyar Zein (24.69± 0.37 & 23.65±0.28, 53.73±0.42 & 52.16±0.42, 22.77±0.61 & 20.00±0.44) at P < 0.05. Among female animals, Shwe Ni is significantly longer in body length (103.15±1 & 96.48±0.79), heart girth (144.48±1.99 & 131.48±1.20) height at withers (125.87±1.29 & 118.80±1.16), ear length (24.21±0.34 & 19.39±0.42), face length (48.08±2.27 & 42.32±0.75), neck length (28.52±0.34 & 23.32±0.43), dewlap width (18.33±0.68 & 11.03±0.53), pelvic width (37.48±0.50 & 33.58±0.66), teat length (3.34±0.18 & 3.03±0.17) and tail length (3.03±0.17 & 88.58±0.68) than Pyar Zein (P < 0.05). This study revealed distinct phenotypic variations between two indigenous cattle breeds regard-ing their qualitative and quantitative traits.