D9: Breeding turkey (breeding goal, use, breeds, traits, breeding methods and hybrids) Flashcards
kingdom
phylum
class
order
suborder
family
genus
kingdom: animalia
phylum: chordata
class: aves
order: Galliformis, anseriformes, columbiformes
order: galliformis
suborder: galli
Family: Phasianidae
genus; gallus - chicken (galli gallus = chicken)
genus: meleagris - turkey
when and by whom were turkeys domesticated?
- First domesticated by the Indians of pre-Columbian Mexico.
Spain (1519) –> Europe –> England –> N. America.
what are the use/breeding goals of turkeys?
*Meat production for human consumption
*Breeding → egg production for hatcheries
- Wild turkeys have been released into the wild as game birds
- Sexual dimorphism is typical & has increased due to domestication (distinct diff in size or appearance of both genders and genitalia).
What are the traits of turkeys?
*GROWTH RATE: gaining up to 24. weeks of age: very good.
*FEED EFFICIENCY AND CONVERSION:
- feedstuff used 0-14th week: 2.3-2.4 kg/kg
- 0-24th week: 3.0-3.4 kg/kg
*CARCASS QUALITY (dressing out):
* young broilers of 5-6 kg: 74-75%
* giant turkeys of 10-20 kg: 78-82%
* valuable parts of carcass: breast, upper thigh, lower thigh, neck and back, wings.
*EGG PRODUCTION:
* h2 = 0.2-0.3
* 40-120 eggs (breed specific)
*RESISTANCE:
* mortality rate during fattening: 5-7%
* vices, behavior disorders: prevention by beak trimming. * Easily frightened animals → frequently run away in stress → injuries & high poultry losses in large units.
*BROODINESS: well expressed!
What are the puberty traits of turkeys?
- Puberty, laying & breeding maturity
◦ Hens: puberty at 16 weeks, Start of laying 34 weeks.
◦ Males puberty at 24-26 weeks. - Egg weight ~ 75-85 g
- Duration of laying period = 20 weeks
- Incubation time = 28 days
- Sex ratio: 1 tom: 10 hens
What are the breeding and mating systems put in place for turkeys?
only bird species that can be Artificially inseminated! (petra said in last lecture)…
- Similar methods to chickens
- Artificial Insemination = is frequently practiced because of expressed sexual dimorphism & to
prevent mating injuries → Broad-breasted turkeys (white or bronze) require artificial insemination to
reproduce as meaty breast is an obstacle for natural mating.
Purebreeding
–> mass selection based on own performance and family selection based on performance of collaterals and relatives and progeny testing.
Hybridisation/ Cross breeding:
–> crossings, and hybridization programs for broiler production are typical!
–> 2-, 3-, 4-way (line, breed) crossings.
–> maternal lines purebreds or crossbreds (prolific!).
–> paternal lines purebreds or crossbreds (giant meat types!)
–> Selection within lines, no RRS is practiced!
Performance test: Random Sample Tests (by chance selection of breeding eggs) for breeder turkeys.
parthenogenesis in turkeys.
- a natural form of asexual reproduction in
which growth and development of embryos occur in a gamete without combining with another gamete (e.g., egg and sperm). - in animals, parthenogenesis means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg.
- parthenogenetic offspring usually have the diploid chromosome number.
- have either two Z chromosomes (male)
or two W chromosomes (mostly nonviable but rarely a female), or they could have one Z and one W chromosome (female).
what is the egg production of breeder turkeys?
how are poults raised?
when is the layign period?
Performance: 90-100 eggs
egg weight: 75-80 g
day-old poults: 45-50 g
Raising pullets, young hens and cocks:
* sexes separately!
* in brooder houses: 20-24 weeks
* housing: 29-30 weeks
* Onset of laying: from 32-36 weeks of age
Laying period
* 6 months (begin: February-March, end: July-August, with light program!) - controlled light programme.
* Breeding egg production in 2-3 laying periods!
Artificial insemination (in 5-7 day intervals, sex differences in size), sex ratio: 1♂: 10♀, fertility and hatchability should be high, 90-95% (!)
how are breeder turkeys kept in housing?
Keeping:
The intensive floor system is most frequent.
Extensive (free range, common for local breeds).
- Chicks are highly sensitive to temperature!
Temperature
* maintained via poultry heater
* decrease from 36 to 22°C in brooder rings!
* Nest: trap mechanism
Light program during raising:
* 1st week: 23h/day
* 2-17th week: 14h/day
* 18-30th week: 6h/day
* 31st week: 17h/day
what is the production system and technology for fattening broilers and giants?
Baby/young poults (broiler) production:
* duration: 13-14 weeks, feed conversion: 2.3-2.4 kg/kg
* final weight, live: 3-6 kg
–mini (lighter poults): 4.3-5.5 kg
–midi (medium-sized): 4.7-6.1 kg
–maxi (heavy): 5.6-6.9 kg
Young hens
* fattening for 16-17 weeks, 8.5-10 kg
Giant males
* duration: fattening for 20-24 weeks
* excellent gaining rate, feed efficiency: 3.0-3.4 kg/kg
* final weight: 17-20 kg
* very common production, min. 10 kg and may be more then 20 kg!
what is the brooding mechansim for day old chicks?
- newly hatched turkeys leave an incubator temperature of 38°C.
- 37°C for the first day reducing by 0.5°C per day until they are sufficiently well feathered.
What are the types of housing available for industry?
Intensive:
–> Single phase: for young/baby poults.
–> Two-phase: first phase until 5-6 weeks + second phase (or raising young hens and giant males.
Semi-intensive:
–> first phase intensive (until 5-6 weeks)
–> second phase extensive:
Light program: 1st day: 24h; 2-5th day: 23h; from
6th day: 14-16h.
Traditional (alternative, free range):
–> local, old breeds (Bronze-Turkey), up to 15th week, possible with hybrids too.
describe appropriate litter in housing
- dry, clean, absorbent
- two inches (at least)
- free from dust (wood shavings, chopped straw, peat moss, or other commercial litters)
- peat moss as the top layer
connection btw temperature and production in turkeys.
Turkeys feed conversion ratio and temperature are closely interlinked:* at 21°C best feed conversion ratios.
at lower temperatures better growth, greater bodyweight and more breast meat yield.
describe ventilation needed in housing
- in confined housing
- in hot weather
- minimum of 0.5 cubic feet per minute (cfm) per pound of body weight
- air speeds of 400 cfm on their heads
