GROWTH EVALUATION OF TURKEY HEAVY HYBRID BY MEANS OF ASYMMETRIC S-FUNCTION

• Main Authors: Z. Škrtić, Gordana Kralik, Zlata Gajčević
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Agrobitechnical Sciences Osijek 2007-06-01
• Series: Poljoprivreda
• Subjects: turkeys; absolute and relative gains; asymmetric S-function
• Online Access: http://poljoprivreda.pfos.hr/upload/publications/29_SKRTIC.pdf
• ISSN: 1330-7142; 1848-8080

The research into growth characteristics of turkey hybrid was carried out on 60 one-day-old turkeys (30 toms and 30 hens) of Nicholas 700 provenience. The research lasted for 19 weeks. Each turkey was marked with a leg ring. During the experiment, turkeys were fed commercial mixtures. Evaluation of the inflection point and of separate growth phases was obtained by means of asymmetric S-function (Kralik and Scitovski, 1993). End weight of turkey toms was higher than the one of hens by 34.63% (14811±906 g : 11005±993 g). Differences in final weights between sexes, as well as in weights over the whole fattening period were statistically highly significant (P<0.001). Average absolute and relative gains (gain rates) of toms in comparison to hens were 776 g and 12.45%, and 567 g and 12.11%, respectively. By the parameters of asymmetric S-function, intensification of progressive growth phase in turkey toms started after the 5th week, and in turkey hens it was prolonged for several days. Determined biological maximum in toms was 17.966 kg, and in hens 12.889 kg. Intensive growth of hens lasted up to the beginning of the 15th week, while toms grew intensively up to the end of the 15th week. Positions of the inflection point in hens were determined at the beginning of the 10th week, and in toms in the middle of that week.