Comparison of Growth Models of Male and Female Partridges

Abstract

This study was conducted to compare the growth curves of male and female partridges (Alectoris chukar) using Gompertz, Richards and Logistic models. Parameters were estimated using biomathematical analysis. Weight (y+) and age (t+) at inflection, the ratio inflection/asymptotic weight (y+/A) and the degree of maturity weekly (ut = yt/A) were estimated by taking advantage of the parameter. Standard error of estimate and coefficient of determination (R2) were used to choose model criterion. Durbin-Watson test was used for auto-correlation in the error terms. Calculated weight (y+) and age (t+) at inflection Point (POI) and the ratio inflection/asymptotic weight (y+/A) for both males and females in Gompertz model were smaller than the other models. Calculated y+/A (0.368) for both sex was similar in Gompertz model. According to results of this study, Gompertz model had better explanation for growth phenomena of males and females partridges than the other models. The 70 and 90% of the maturity degree was completed at approximately 10-12 and 16-18 weeks, respectively. These results give some ideas about growth period of commercial breeding of partridges. © 2007 Asian Network for Scientific Information.