Relationship Between Transportation Conditions and Live Weight After Incubation in Broiler Pure Lines of Different Feathering Rates

Abstract

In this study, the relationship between temperature and humidity levels and live weight losses of day-\rold chicks in broiler pure lines with different feathering rates were investigated. The research material\rconsisted of 3 female pure-lines (A1: slow feathering, A2: fast feathering, A3: slow feathering) and 2\rmale pure-lines (B1: fast feathering, B2: fast feathering) used in broiler breeding. The hatching chicks\rwere individually numbered, sex-seperated, live weight determined and vaccinations were performed\rat 26-28°C temperature and 60-65% humidity levels in hatchery. The chickens from different\rgenotypes were placed in cardboard boxes of 68×49×16 cm size with 3 unit and 150 chicks were used\rin the male-female mixed in 10 chicks in each unit. The chicks were transported in an air-conditioned\rvehicle for 9 hours between Eskişehir and Samsun, with an average temperature of 28.8°C and a\rhumidity of 40.8%. When the chicks arrived to barn, weight losses are determined individually during\rtransport. The effect of genotypes and feathering rates on live weight loss was found significant. The\rhighest weight loss was determined 1.6 g and 3.8% in B1 and B2 genotypes equally without gender\reffect. Also, A2 and A3 genotypes were similar too; genotypes with the lowest weight loss of 0,7 g\rand 0.8 g and 1.6% respectively. Besides, the live weight loss in genotypes with fast feathering was\rfound 1.3 g and 3.1%, which was significantly higher than the slow-feathering (0.9 g and 2.1%). The\rweight loss fast-feathering male pure-lines is higher than fast-feathering female pure-lines; it is\rthought that the increase in the metabolic rate due to the selection for live weight increase and faster\rdepletion of the body reserves may be effective in these lines.