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Investigation on the suitability of alternative turkey strains for an organic husbandry system
Project
Project code: 28RF3024
Contract period: 12.03.2015
- 18.04.2018
Budget: 211,545 Euro
Purpose of research: Experimental development
The aim is to investigate the suitability of two alternative turkey strains for organic husbandry in an on-farm research project. Behaviour, health, performance and meat quality of the two strains and a relatively slow growing reference hybrid (Kelly Bronze turkeys) are assessed. Referring also to data from the literature it is evaluated to which degree the alternative strains are suited and which traits would need to be optimized by breeding. Thus, a contribution is being made that in future better adapted turkey genotypes can be used in organic turkey farming. The first part of the project comprises further literature search, a survey among farmers and stakeholders (e.g. organic farming associations) regarding desirable breeding goals. Alternative genotypes for the on-farm-research are selected and preparations of the experiemt finalised. In the second part, the on-farm-research is carried out during three fattening periods, each with a simultaneous repetition per genotype, including the two alternative turkey strains and the reference hybrid (n= 6). The following parameters are recorded: Behaviour: feather pecking, cannibalism and aggressive interactions (plumage and skin condition), use of the different resources (outdoor area and elevated structures) Health: morbidity, mortality, animal health index (BLAHA et al., 2008), scoring of footpads, leg position, gait (walking ability), breast blisters, skin injury and fractures, post-mortem dissections and of a random sample of birds (10%). Performance: daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio and liveweight at the end of fattening Meat/carcass quality: results of official post-mortem inspection, meat quality (pH, brightness and colour values, drip loss and blood spots), carcass composition (valuable body parts). In the last part, results are evaluated with respect to the suitability of the studied genotypes for organic husbandry conditions, and it is analysed which traits need to be improved by breeding.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal breeding
- Special animal species
- Farm animal behaviour
