ASSESSMENT OF GROWTH PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF CROSSBRED TURKEYS REARED IN ABIA STATE

Abstract

A total of 215 day-oldpoults were used to evaluate the growth performance traits of three strains of local turkey crossbred (Meleagric gallapavo) reared in Abia State. The experiment was conducted using three phenotypes of indigenous turkeys with plumage colours: black, white and lavender (spotted). The poults used for the study were hatched from a foundation stock of 86 turkeys comprising 25 Hens and 5 Toms for black and white phenotypes each, respectively and 21 Hens and 5 Toms for lavender (spotted) phenotype. The experiment was designed as Complete Randomized Design (CRD). Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results obtained showed that body weight (BW) and Linear body measurements (body length, wing length, drumstick length, breast width, shank length, keel length and neck length) significantly (P<0.05) increased as age (week) increased for the main crossbred (black x lavender (spotted), BxS) and Lavender x Black compared with its purebred (Black x Black, (BxB), White x White (WxW) and lavender x lavender (SxS) counterparts. Final body weights for main crossbred (3710.25, 3732.42 and 3738.66g) and reciprocal crossbred (3791.58, 3795.72 and 3797.44g) differed significantly (P<0.05) across the weeks. Positive heterosis (hybrid vigour) was observed for BW and all LBMs measured in the main (direct) (BxW, BxS, and WxS) and reciprocal crossbreds (WxB, SxB and SxW) studied, ranging from 0.12 to 34.16%, respectively. Reciprocal effect was not significant (P>0.05) for BW and all LBMs with the values ranging from 0.015 to 0.661 for BxW, BxS and WxS crossbreds.