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Effects of brooding periods on performance of poults and grow-out small bronze turkeys in hot humid tropical environment

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Abstract

A study was conducted to determine the effects of varied brooding regimes on the performance of small bronze turkey poults and their grow-outs. One hundred and twenty (n = 120) poults were subjected to four brooding regimes of 0–5, 0–6, 0–7, and 0–8 weeks, designated as T1, T2, T3, and T4. Each brooding regime (treatment) was applied to 3 replicates of 10 poults/replicate in a completely randomized design. The feed intake of T1 poults was higher (P < 0.05) than that of the T2, T3, and T4 groups. There was no difference in the daily weight gain among all treatment groups. The T1 poults had a higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (FCR) than the T4 poults while the T1, T2, and T3 had similar FCR. The T1 group also had the highest feed/heating cost (USD 2.14) while the T4 recorded the lowest feed/heating cost (USD 2.01) resulting in 5.86% reduction in feed/heating cost. There were no differences in performance of the grow-out turkeys in all the production parameters measured, as well as in the feed cost per kilogram weight gain of the treatment groups. This result shows that small bronze-type turkeys brooded from 0 to 8 weeks had higher efficiency in terms of feed intake, FCR, and lower economic costs compared to those brooded from 0 to 5, 0–6, and 0–7 weeks at the poult stage. However, at grow-out stage, the period of brooding did not have any effects on their performance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science & Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria

    Chibuzo Hope Nwaodu & Martins Chigozie Uchegbu

  2. Department of Agriculture and Animal Health, University of South Africa, Florida Science Campus, Florida, 1710, South Africa

    Victor Mela Obinna Okoro & Christian Anayochukwu Mbajiorgu

Authors
  1. Chibuzo Hope Nwaodu
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  2. Victor Mela Obinna Okoro
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  3. Martins Chigozie Uchegbu
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  4. Christian Anayochukwu Mbajiorgu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Victor Mela Obinna Okoro.

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Ethical approval was secured from the University Ethics committee before the commencement of the experiment and compliance with ethical standards was strictly adhered to.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Nwaodu, C.H., Okoro, V.M.O., Uchegbu, M.C. et al. Effects of brooding periods on performance of poults and grow-out small bronze turkeys in hot humid tropical environment. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 851–856 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1507-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1507-1

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