Growth Performance and Mortality in Hybrid Converter Turkeys Reared at High Altitude Region

Abstract

This study was to evaluate growth performance and mortality in Hybrid Converter turkeys reared under intensive conditions at high altitude region. The present study was carried out at an altitude about 1725 metres above sea level. 5040 (mixed gender) for determination of survival rate and 340 (170 per gender) Hybrid Converter poults for growth performance were utilized in the study. The experiment was terminated at 105 day of age in female and 120 day of age in male poults. Hybrid Converter poults exhibit fast-growing traits, as was observed with the body weights of 9.644 and 12.7 kg at 105 d of age for female and male birds, respectively. Body weight of male poults was 16.094 kg at 120 d of age. The weights of the female and male turkeys did differ significantly (P<0.001). The highest coefficients of variation (CV) for body weight in female poults (9.50% at 75 d of age) and male poults (10.96 % at 15 d of age) were observed. In general, CV of body weights at growth period ranged from 8.12 to 16.69 %. The average mortality for Hybrid Converter poults was 4.25% at 120 d of age. The highest mortality (2.46%) was observed at 10-13 wk of age, while the lowest mortality (0.51%) was observed at 0-4 wk of age. The results of the experiment that growth performance of Hybrid Converter poults reared under intensive conditions at high altitude were within commercial standards. The highest mortality was observed at 10-13 wk of age, in which growth rate was also the highest, while the lowest mortality was observed at 0-4 wk of age, in which growth rate was the lowest.