Yilmaz and ErtugrulThe Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 21(4): 2011, Page: J.794 Anim.-799Plant Sci. 21(4):2011 ISSN: 1018-7081 SOME MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF TURKISH TAZI (SIGHT HOUND) O. Yılmaz, and M. Ertuğrul* Igdir University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Animal Science, 76100, Igdir. *Ankara University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Animal Science, 06100, Ankara. Correspondence author email: [email protected] ABSTRACT This study was carried out to determine the distributions of body coat colour and the body measurements of the Turkish Tazi (Sighthound) comparing with some other sight hound breeds from different countries. To this end, a data of 122 (60 male and 62 female) Tazi were analyzed with the Minitab 15 statistical software program using ANOVA and Student’s t- Test. Descriptive statistics for live weight (LW) 18.4 ± 0.19, withers height (WH) 62 ± 0.35, height at rump (HR) 62.2 ± 0.35, body length (BL) 60.3 ± 0.39, heart girth circumference (HGC) 63.3 ± 0.42, chest depth (CD) 22.8 ± 0.27, abdomen depth (AD) 14.3 ± 0.14, chest width (CW) 17.3 ± .0.16, haunch width (HW) 16.2 ± 0.12, thigh width (TW) 21.9 ± 0.17, tail length (TL) 44.8 ± 0.37, limb length (LL) 39.2 ± 0.20, cannon circumference (CC) 10.2 ± 0.07, head length (HL) 23.7 ± 0.21 and ear length (EL) 12.3 ± 0.13 cm respectively. In this study the distributions of body coat color of the sampled Tazi, as percentages, for black was 35.2%, dun 25.4%, brown 12.3%, tan 10.7%, white 8.2% and pied 8.2% respectively. Keywords: Turkish Tazi, sighthound, morphological trait, body measurement, coat colour. INTRODUCTION Arabian Greyhound (Morocco), Galgo Espanol (Spain), Kyrgyz Taigan (Kyrgyzstan), Pharaoh Hound (Malta), Dogs were the first domesticated animals around Rampur Greyhound (India), Saluki, Sloughi (Middle 12.000-15.000 years ago (Ostrander, 2008). The Turkish East), Tuareg Greyhound (Western Sahel), and Turkish Tazi (Sighthound) is a breed that has been primarily bred Tazi (Turkey) are moderate in size and weight. They have for hunting. It hunts by using sight and speed, instead of shorter coats than the big-size hounds. They are tolerant scent and endurance as “scent hounds” do of hot, dry weather but not cold weather, and can chill in (en.wikipedia.org, 2011). cool weather. It is accepted that, generally, they are Some data reported for sighthound breeds from genuine examples of sighthounds (Pugnetti 2001, various countries is given in Table 1. According to Anonymous 2005, en.wikipedia.org 2011, reported weights and sizes, they can be categorized in www.greyhoundclubofamerica.org 2011 www. three groups: big-, mid- and small-sized hounds for nationmaster. com 2011). height at withers above 70 cm, between 51-70 cm and Small-sized are lower than 50 cm at withers and below 50 cm respectively. generally lighter than 20 kg live weight. Italian Big-sized hounds are higher than 70 cm at Greyhound (Italy) and Whippet (UK) are thus small-sized withers and generally heavier than 40 kg live weight. hounds. Their original habitat are generally plain areas. Russian Borzoi (Russia), English Greyhound (UK), Irish These dogs are small in appearance and have a thin bone Wolfhound (Ireland), Polish Greyhound (Poland) and structure. The distribution of the Turkish Tazi is Scottish Deerhound (UK) are thus big-sized hounds. generally concentrated around the Central (Province of Their original habitat are generally harsh, being forests Konya) and Southeast (Province of Sanliurfa) Anatolia and rugged areas; these dogs are therefore large and regions, but it can be seen in small quantities also in rough in appearance and have a good bone structure, Igdir, Kars, Karaman, Ankara and Istanbul provinces. rugged feet, thicker skin and coat against tough climates These dogs are reared for their superior hunting skills. except for the English Greyhound which originated in a The Turkish Tazi also makes a good pet for mild climate. Sight hounds do not have double coats humans because of its mild and affectionate character. It unlike most of the other dog breeds. Instead to protect can get along well with children and other family pets, them from exposure, they have long, shaggy but not including cats. Although the Turkish Tazi is an extremely fluffy coats (en.wikipedia.org 2011, www. nationmaster. fast dog, it is not hyper-active. It is calm, loyal and com 2011). tractable (Serpell 1996, Palika 2007, Yılmaz 2008, Mid-sized hounds are roughly between 51-70 cm en.wikipedia.org 2011). Where the environment is at withers and 20-40 kg in weight. Their original habitat concerned, they do not have an undercoat and therefore was a generally hot and dry climate except in the case of are less likely to resist cold weather. As a result, the Hungarian hounds. The Afghan Hound (Afghanistan), 794 Yilmaz and Ertugrul J. Anim. Plant Sci. 21(4):2011 especially in the cold season, owners find it advisable to The objectives of this study were to determine body coat cover their backs with a piece of cloth. colour and some phenotypic characteristics of native Turkish Sighthound, the Tazi. Table 1. Some sighthound breeds, origins and means of height and weight. Breed Origin Withers Height (cm) Live Weight (kg) Overall Male Female Overall Male Female Afghan Hound2 Afghanistan 61-73 20-27 Afghan Hound3 Afghanistan 68-74 63-69 Afghan Hound3 Afghanistan 64-69 23-27 Afghan Hound8 Afghanistan 69-74 26-34 Arabian Greyhound7 Morocco 66-72 61-68 Borzoi2 Russia Min* 80 Min 66 45-54 Borzoi3 Russia 66-81 27-50 Borzoi7 Russia 75-85 68-78 Borzoi8 Russia 75,5 71 34-48 Chart Polski2,3 Poland 69-81 30-43 Chart Polski7 Poland 68-75 70-80 Galgo Espanol2 Spain 66-71 64-69 27-30 23-25 Galgo Espanol 7 Spain 62-70 60-68 Galgo Espanol8 Spain 65-70 30 Greyhound2 UK 71-76 68-71 27-40 27-34 Greyhound7 UK 71-76 68-71 Greyhound8 UK 71-78 69-71 27-32 Hungarian Greyhound7 Hungary 65-70 62-67 Ibizan Hound2 Spain 61-74 20-29 Irish Wolfhound2 Ireland 81-86 Min 71 Min 54,5 Min 41 Irish Wolfhound7 Ireland 81-86 Min 79 Min 71 Min 54,5 Min 40,5 Irish Wolfhound8 Ireland 81-86 79 71 54 40 Italian Greyhound2 Italy 33-38 4-8 Italian Greyhound3 Italy 33-38 3-7 Italian Greyhound7 Italy 32-38 Max 5 Italian Greyhound8 Italy 32-38 Max 5 Kyrgyz Taigan2 Kyrgyzstan Min 65 Min 60 Magyar Agar2 Hungary 65-70 62-67 22-31 Magyar Agar8 Hungary 27-31 22-26 Pharaoh Hound2 Malta 53-64 18-27 Pharaoh Hound8 Malta 63-70 57-66 Rampur Greyhound2 India 60-75 55-60 27-30 Saluki2,3 Middle Eastern 58-71 18-27 Saluki7 Middle Eastern 58-71 Scottish Deerhound2 Scotland 75-80 Min 70 40-50 35-43 Scottish Deerhound7 Scotland Min 76 Min 71 45,5 36,5 Scottish Deerhound8 Scotland 76 71 39-48 30-36 Sloughi2 North Africa 66-74 61-69 Sloughi8 North Africa 55-75 30-32 Tuareg Sloughi2 Western Sahel 61-74 15-25 Tuareg Sloughi7 Western Sahel 64-74 60-70 20-25 15-20 Turkish Tazi10 Turkey 70 24 Whippet2 UK 47-51 44-47 7-14 Whippet7 UK 47-51 44-47 Whippet8 UK 47 44 8-12 5-9 * ‘Min’ indicates minimum size of the dog 795 Yilmaz and Ertugrul J. Anim. Plant Sci. 21(4):2011 MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental animals: The Tazi included in the study were surveyed in Igdir (390 55’N; 440 02’E), Kars (400 36’N; 430 06’E), Konya (370 53’N; 320 29’E) and Sanliurfa (370 09’N; 380 48’E) provinces in 2010 and 2011 (www.googleearth.com 2011). This study lasted from November 2010 to January 2011. Ages were determined from the reports of owners. The dogs were aged between 5 months and 5 years, grouped according to their age as 0-12 months, 13-24 months, 25-36 months and 36-60 months. Measurements: Dogs were measured for live weight with a portable spring scale. Linear measures such as withers height (WH), height at rump (HR), body length Figure 2. Haunch and thigh width on a Tazi dog body (BL), chest depth (CD), abdomen depth (AD), chest width (CW), haunch width (HW), thigh width (TW) and Statistical analysis: Data were analyzed with the limb length (LL) were measured using a measuring stick. Minitab 15 statistical software program. Descriptive Other linear measures such as heart girth circumference statistics for body dimensions were analyzed using (HGC), tail length (TL), cannon circumference (CC), ANOVA and Student’s T-Test that also determined the head length (HL) and ear length (EL) were measured impact of sex, region, body coat colour, and age group on using a graduated plastic tape (Yılmaz, 2007). AD and the response variables of LW, WH, HR, BL, HGC, CD, TW are not usual measurement taken for dogs, but AD, CW, HW, TW, TL, LL, CC, HL and EL sighthound dogs have some special breed characteristics (Anonymous, 2011). on these traits. In sighthound anatomy, the chest is deeper and the abdomen is narrower than in other dog breeds. It RESULTS AND DISCUSSION is normally accepted that chest and abdomen depth are usable traits to evaluate the speed of a sighthound. Descriptive statistics for live weight was (LW) Secondly speed factor in a sighthound depends on the 18.4 ± 0.19, withers height (WH) 62 ± 0.35, height at strength of its hind legs.