Evaluation of Growth Traits and Tibiae Health in Sexed Indigenous Turkeys with Different Feather Colours Under Deep Litter and Outdoor Run Houses

Abstract

The study consisted of 400 sexed turkeys, grouped on the basis of 2 distinct feather colours (white and black) into deep litter and outdoor, respectively. Day-old poults were brooded for 4 weeks and acclimatized in both houses for 2 weeks before the commencement of the study that lasted for 10 weeks. At the end of the trial, 2 birds per replicate were sacrificed and left tibiae were removed for morphometric and mineral analyses. Data were arranged in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial layout and subjected to Analysis of Variance in a Completely Randomized Design. Results showed water intake and water: feed were significantly (p<0.05) higher in turkeys reared on deep litter. Also, male turkeys recorded significantly (p<0.05) higher weight gain, feed and water intakes, and better feed conversion ratio than female turkeys. Tibia length and ash weight were significantly (p<0.05) greater in turkeys reared in deep litter than turkeys in outdoor. Tibiae phosphorus was significantly influenced by interactions of sex by feather colour as well as housing system by sex by feather colour. Therefore, female turkeys with either white or black feathers could be reared in outdoor-run for strong tibiae with predominant bone mineral (Ca and P) matrix.