Effects of Protein in Diet and Sex Ratio on Egg Production, Egg and Hatching Chick Weight, Fertility, Hatchability and Embryonal Mortality in Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus)

Abstract

This study was performed to investigate the effects of crude protein (CP) in diet and sex ratio on egg production, egg and hatching chick weight and hatchability traits in pheasants (Phasianus Colchicus). In this study, the treatment groups were constructed as 15% CP-5:1; 15% CP-7:1; 18% CP-5:1; 18% CP-7:1 for CP and sex (male:female) ratio respectively. The eggs were obtained from 48 weeks old pheasant. In this study, it was determined that there was positive effective on egg production, egg and hatching weight and hatchability of fertile eggs (HFE) for 18% CP. In contrast, fertility (FR) (p<0.05) and hatchability rate of total eggs (HR) (p>0.05), EPEM (p>0.05) and MPEM (p>0.05) tended to decrease with increasing CP. It was found that there was egg production, egg (p>0.05) and hatching weight (p>0.05), FR (p>0.05), HR (p>0.05) and HFE (p>0.05) increased with increasing female for sex ratio. In terms of embryonic mortality, the EPEM (p>0.05) and LPEM (p>0.05) rate decreased with increasing female. For protein levels × sex ratio, it was found that hatchability traits were adversely affected for 15% CP-1:7. Also, it was determined that the lowest EPEM, MPEM and LPEM were determined for 7:1 in 18% CP group. Based on these results, to improve hatchability traits and a lower embryonic mortality rate, it may be beneficial to use 15% CP-5:1 or 18% CP-7:1 for pheasant breeding. © 2017, Fundacao APINCO de Ciencia e Tecnologia Avicolas. All rights reserved.