Production parameters and steroid hormone profiles of caged turkey breeder hens

Abstract

Ninety large white turkey hens housed in individual cages were fed a 16 percent protein breeder diet during the first 10 weeks of egg production. At the start of the 11th week of egg production the hens were fed either (1) 16 percent protein, (2) 16 percent protein plus zinc bacitracin (100 grams/ton), or (3) 19 percent protein. Within each dietary treatment hens were randomly assigned to one of six artificial insemination (AI) schedules as follows: (1) .025 ml semen weekly, (2) .0125 ml semen weekly, (3) .025 ml semen biweekly, (4) .0125 ml semen biweekly, (5) .025 ml semen triweekly, or (6) .0125 ml semen triweekly. The 16 percent protein plus zinc bacitracin diet significantly (P (LESSTHEQ) .05) increased final body weight (9.55 kg) when compared to the 19 percent protein diet (9.41 kg). The 19 percent protein diet significantly (P (LESSTHEQ) .05) increased mean egg weight (91.82 g) when compared to the 16 percent protein plus zinc bacitracin diet (87.92 g). No significant difference in fertility was seen between the .025 ml weekly (99.35%), .0125 weekly (98.4%), or .025 ml biweekly (99.18%) groups. Hens in the .025 ml weekly and .025 ml biweekly groups produced eggs with significantly (P (LESSTHEQ) .05) higher fertility than the .0125 ml triweekly (95.3%) and .025 ml triweekly (94.2%) groups. A significant (P (LESSTHEQ) .05) difference in fertility due to semen volume was seen only in the biweekly inseminations schedules. The mean number of eggs per week was significantly (P (LESSTHEQ) .05) higher for the biweekly group (3.83) than for the triweekly group (3.58). Hens in the weekly AI group produced 3.69 eggs per week.