Reproductive performance of turkey breeders as influenced by feed and light restriction /
| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
[College Station, Tex.] :
Krueger,
1976.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Link to ProQuest copy Link to OAKTrust copy |
| Abstract: | Restricting day length or feed consumption in winter-hatched Broad Breasted White turkeys were studied for their effects on reproductive performance. Turkey males were either full-fed and received 15, 12 or 8 hours of light per day or restricted-fed and received 15 hours of light per day from 18 through 64 weeks of age. Dark-housed (8 hours of light per day) turkey breeder hens were either full-fed or restricted-fed from 22 to 30 weeks of age. At lighting (30 weeks of age) the full-fed and restricted=fed hen groups were randomly divided and full-fed either 14% or 18% protein diets through 20 weeks of egg production. Turkey males exposed to an 8 hour day produced semen with significantly (P (less than or equal to) 0.05) higher sperm cell concentration over a 30 week collection period than did males receiving 15 hours of light per day. A significant decline in semen volume occurred in full-fed turkey males receiving 15 hours of light per day while full-fed males exposed to 12 or 8 hours of light per day produced increasing semen volumes over the collection period. Mechanically restricting daily feed consumption by approximately 50% (as compared to full-fed males) in turkey males from 18 through 64weeks of age resulted in a 30% reduction in body weight. Restricted-fed males produced increasing semen volume over a 30 week collection period with significantly (P (less than or equal to) 0.05) higher sperm cell concentrations than males full-fed and receiving 15 hours of light per day. Fertility over a 20 week egg production period was significantly higher (P (less than or equal to) 0.05) for restricted-fed males receiving 15 hours of light per day than for full-fed males receiving 15, 12 or 8 hours of light per day. Data presented suggests that the seasonal decline in semen quantity and quality in off-season turkey breeder males may be prevented through the use of feed or light restriction.. |
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| Item Description: | "Major subject: Poultry Science." Vita. |
| Physical Description: | xiv, 126 leaves ; 28 cm |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-125). |