PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MITHUN OF NORTHEAST INDIA

A study was conducted on 56 mithuns of either sex at 1, 12, 24, 36 and above 36 months of age under the prevailing managemental practices in Lower Subansiri and Papum-pare districts of Arunachal Pradesh. The av erage values of head conformation, viz, head length, width of fore-hea d, eye to eye space, muzzle circumferences and ear length of male mith uns were greater than those of female mithuns al different age groups. The hom length was not different (P<0.05) between male and female mit huns. The neck circumference was greater in males than in females, the difference being significant (P<0.05) but the neck length was nonsign ificant in both the sexes. The height of the mithun was noted 5 times the length of fore-shank. No significant difference was evident in any of the body parameters and limbs between male and female mithuns. The tail length was almost similar in both the sexes.