Relationships Between Morphological Characteristics of Roosters in Broiler Breeders at Different Age Periods

Year 2023, Volume: 20 Issue: 1, 25 - 31, 23.06.2023

Saliha Sabah Bilgehan Yılmaz Dikmen

https://doi.org/10.34233/jpr.1314476

Abstract

The aim of study was to determine the relationships between morphological characteristics of
roosters and fertility in broiler breeders at different age periods. A total of 48 roosters and 480
hens Ross 308 broiler breeder were used. The body weight, comb width and length, wattle
width and length, and tarsus length of roosters were measured for morphological
characteristics at 42, and 53 weeks of age. A total of 1500 eggs were incubated at 37.7 °C and
50-55% relative humidity for 18 d, then eggs were incubated at 36.6 °C and 60% relative
humidity for 3 d. The effect of age on comb length, comb index (P=0.002), wattle width
(P=0.008), wattle area (P=0.015) and tarsus length were found significant (P=0.000). There
were correlations between body weight and fertility at 53 weeks of age (r = 0.663; P<0.05).
There was no correlation between fertility and comb length, comb width, comb area, comb
index, wattle width, wattle area, wattle index, and tarsus length at 42 and 53 weeks of age
(P>0.05). In conclusion; some characteristics based on external appearance are used for male
selection in broiler breeders, but no relationship was found between investigated
morphological characteristics and fertility, except for body weight.

Keywords

Morphological characteristics, Fertility, Age, Broiler breeder

Thanks

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the directors of the commercial breeder farm Hastavuk (Bursa, Türkiye), who provided the facilities for this study.

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