Reproductive performance of Beltsville small White and Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys (<italic>Meleagris gallopavo</italic>) under hot humid climatic condition

Abstract

The study was conducted to compare the reproductive performance of Beltsville Small White and Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys (<italic>Meleagris gallopavo</italic>) under the hot humid climatic condition. Beltsville Small White and Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys were raised in an intensive production system under standard management practices. A total of 560 Beltsville Small White turkey eggs and 520 Broad Breasted Bronze turkey eggs were used for this study. Average egg weight (g), infertile eggs (%), early embryonic mortality (%), late embryonic mortality (%), dead in shell (%) and poults hatched weight (g) were significantly (P>0.01) higher in Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys as compared to Beltsville Small White turkeys. The total hatchability (%), fertile egg hatchability (%) and poults survivability (%) were (P>0.01) significantly higher in Beltsville Small White turkeys as compared to Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys. Non significantly higher fertility percentage was observed in Beltsville Small White turkeys as compared to Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys. It is concluded that Beltsville Small White turkeys are more suitable to obtain better reproductive performance under hot humid climate condition followed by Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys.