Ahmet Uçar

This study examined the interactive effects of genotype and housing system on egg weight loss, egg quality, fertility rate, hatchability, embryonic mortality, chick quality, and trait relationships in Turkish layer breeders. Ten Turkish layer breeder genotypes, five brown (RIR1, RIR2, COLOMBIAN, BAR1, and BAR2) and five white (D229, BROWN, BLUE, BLACK, and MAROON), were each housed in both deep litter and enriched cage systems, resulting in a 10 × 2 factorial design. A total of 3,000 hatching eggs (300 eggs per genotype; 1,500 per housing system) were used. The results showed significant genotype × housing system interactions for egg weight at setting, shell weight, shell thickness, fertility rate, hatchability of set and fertile eggs, hatching time, early embryonic mortality, pipped eggs, overall embryonic mortality, chick quality score, and chick length (p<0.05). For instance, fertility rate varied from 41.64% in MAROON breeders housed in enriched cages to 98.18% in the same genotype reared in deep litter. Hatchability of set eggs varied from 30.00% in RIR1 breeders housed in enriched cages to 80.51% in COLOMBIAN breeders housed in deep litter. Similarly, overall embryonic mortality ranged from 5.15% in D229 breeders reared in enriched cages to 38.21% in RIR1 breeders housed in the same system. Independently, genotype exerted significant effects on shell weight, shell thickness, hatching time, and chick length, whereas housing system significantly influenced egg weight, weight loss and width, shell thickness, chick weight, fertility rate, hatchability, and chick length (p<0.001; p<0.05). The correlation analysis indicated a strong positive relationship between egg weight and chick weight (r = 0.772; p<0.001), while hatching time was negatively correlated with chick yield (r = −0.453; p<0.001). In conclusion, genotype-specific responses to the housing environment might be the major determinants of reproductive and hatching performance, as well as chick quality. Additionally, these findings might suggest that optimizing reproductive efficiency requires considering genotype-housing compatibility rather than genotype or housing system alone.

With the increase in demand for broilers, breeds that provide rapid weight gain, efficient use of feed and high carcass yield have been selected for chicken meat production. The trial was carried out to determine the effect of broiler male parent’s body weights of growing period (six and eighteen weeks) on progeny broiler performance traits. Cockerels in the study were allocated into 5 groups as Light Standard (LS), Light Light (LL), Standard Standard (SS), Heavy Heavy (HH) and Heavy Standard (HS) according to the live weight at the 6th and 18th weeks. When these cocks were young (24 weeks of age), prime (35 weeks of age) and old (48 weeks of age), the broiler performance of the offspring obtained from them by artificial insemination was evaluated. In terms of sire body weights during the study, the HH group had the highest live weight. In terms of the 35th d body weights of broilers, HH group reached the highest average in all periods, while the LS group had the lowest average and LL, SS and HS were close to each other. The average European Production Efficiency Index (EPEI) values of LL, LS, SS, HS and HH groups were found to be 434, 423, 429, 422 and 460, in three broiler trials average, respectively. The heritability for the body weight trait was found as for the 7th d= 0.18, 14th d= 0.21, 21st d= 0.31, 28th d= 0.30 and 35th d= 0.37. In conclusion, it was determined that the highest broiler performance was observed in the offspring of HH cock (heavy at the 6th and 18th week). In addition, it was determined that changes in live weight of sires after the 6th week (efforts to bring them to standard weight) would negatively affect the broiler performance of the offspring. Considering the EPEI, in which feed conversion rate and liveability are also included in the formula in addition to live weight it is suggested that HH group sires should be preferred for heavier broiler and more economical meat production.

Dünyada ve Türkiye'de Kanatlı Hayvan Yetiştiriciliğine Genel Bakış Sezen ÖZKAN Servet YALÇIN Tavuğun Yapısal Özellikleri, Tavuk Irkları ve Hibritler Türker SAVAŞ Ali KARABAYIR Tavuk Genetiği ve Islahı Mustafa AKŞİT Aydın İPEK Yumurta, Besin Değeri ve Kalite Özellikleri Çiğdem ŞEREMET Kuluçkahane Yönetimi ve Embriyonik Gelişim Serdar ÖZLÜ Tavukçulukta Kümesler ve Donanımlar Özer Hakan BAYRAKTAR İskender YILDIRIM Ali AYGÜN Etlik Piliç Yetiştiriciliği Servet YALÇIN Etlik Piliç Kesimi Servet YALÇIN Yumurta Tavuğu Yetiştiriciliği Mikail BAYLAN Kadriye KURŞUN Damızlık Tavuk Yetiştiriciliği Aydın İPEK Mustafa AKŞİT Hindi Yetiştiriciliği Sezen ÖZKAN Alternatif Kanatlı Türlerinin Genel Verim Özellikleri Mehmet Akif BOZ Kadir ERENSOY Ahmet UÇAR Musa SARICA Kanatlı Yetiştiriciliğinde Sağlık Koruma Ali USLU

Objective: This research was conducted to determine the fattening performance of egg-type male quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) sorted as non-breeders after 35 days using three different finisher rations. Material and Methods: Three different rations were used as finisher feed: cracked corn (CC), broiler chick feed (BCF), and cracked corn-chick feed (1:1) mixture (CC-BCF) for fattening 270 male quails. Quail fattening started with an average weight of 198 g and was carried out in cage pens with 3 replicates in each group and 30 male quails in each replicate. Quails were weighed individually on the 5th and 10th (40 and 45 days of age) days of the experiment. When the quails reached 45 days of age, some morphological characteristics were measured in a total of 135 quails, 15 randomly from each pen. Results: The mean body weights of the CC, BCF, and CC-BCF groups at 40 and 45 days of age were determined 202, 227, and 223 g and 201, 232, and 229 g, respectively. While the CC group had the lowest fattening performance (P0.05). In terms of carcass ratio, the highest value (75.2%) was observed in the BCF group and the lowest value (73.6%) in the CC group (P0.05). The lowest mean in terms of breast width (32.9 mm) was observed in the CC group, and the highest mean in terms of breast length (67.3 mm) was observed in the CC-BCF group (P

Although there are intensively selected lines and non-selected standard breeds in terms of production characteristics in the chickens, there is limited information on the comparing their egg shape-related traits. This study aimed to compare using the parameters of weight, width, length, shape index-L/W (Length/Width), and shape index-W/L of egg in some meat-type (Anadolu-T, Ross 308, Dam Line and Sire Line), egg-type (Atak-S, Lohmann Brown and Lohmann Selected Leghorn), and standard breeds (Sultan and Ameraucana). The data from 2476 eggs from 9 genotypes obtained from 50-55 weeks hens and classified under 3 main types were analyzed with univariate and multivariate methods. The mean egg weights of Sire Line, Ross 308, Anadolu-T, Lohmann Brown, Atak-S, Dam Line, Lohmann Selected Leghorn, Sultan and Ameraucana genotypes were 69.89f, 69.10f, 62.84e, 59.59d, 59.58d, 59.51d, 56.81c, 45.87b and 43.03a g, respectively (P<0.05). In the same order, the mean egg width was determined as 44.72f, 45.61g, 43.41de, 43.32de, 43.62e, 43.17d, 42.46c, 39.90b and 39.17a mm (P<0.05). The mean egg length was found to be 61.97g, 58.80e, 59.72f, 56.12bc, 57.58d, 56.59c, 56.00b, 51.30a and 51.47a mm (P<0.05). The egg shape index-W/L and egg shape index-L/W was calculated to be 74.78a, 76.50b, 77.55c % and 138.67c, 128.99a, 137.59c, 129.45a, 132.16b, 131.12b, 131.93b, 128.68a, 131.47b %, respectively (P<0.05). The egg weights of meat-type, egg-type, and standard breeds were 64.61c, 58.36b, and 45.42a g, respectively (P<0.01). The egg width was found to be 44.06c, 42.97b and 39.78a mm (P<0.05). The egg length was 59.05c, 56.20b, and 51.35a mm (P<0.05). We also detected significant positive correlations (P<0.01) between the egg weight and the egg width (r=0.88), and the egg length (r=0.83). In the discriminant analyses, the success of assigning eggs to their groups was relatively low (52.4%) in terms of genotypes, but high (78.1%) in the type groups. The significant changes in the egg weight and shape-related traits were determined according to chicken genotypes and types. It was observed that intensive selection in chickens, especially in egg-type genotypes, had a strong effect on egg weight and shape-related traits.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of rearing quails in different rearing systems on egg production, egg quality characteristics, and incubation results. The 360 quails were distributed equally to 3 different rearing groups (cage, enriched cage, and floor) in a male:female mixed at the age of 3 weeks. The eggs were individually weighed and recorded one by one daily (5487 eggs) for 3 months. To determine egg quality and incubation characteristics, 750 eggs were broken, and 3284 eggs were incubated, respectively. The results showed that female quail in the floor group have lower body weight at 6 weeks old (177.19 g), and they reached sexual maturity (age of first egg laying) later (65.36 day, P<0.01), The lowest egg production (61.14%) occurred in the floor group during the 3-month egg production period (P<0.05). The lowest average egg weight (9.07 g) was determined in the floor group (P<0.05). It was determined that the eggs of quails raised in the enriched group had a rounder shape index because they have larger widths (P<0.01). While the highest average yolk height (11.24 mm) was determined in the enriched cage group (P<0.01), the highest averages of albumen length (72.41 mm) and lowest averages of yolk index (48.43%) were determined in the cage group (P<0.01). The lowest average values (113.17) in Haugh unit were detected in the floor group (P<0.05). The highest fertility rate (98.44%) was in Floor♂:Cage♀, the highest hatchability of fertile egg rate (94.67%) was obtained from Enriched♂:Cage♀, and the highest hatchability (89.10%) was obtained from Floor♂:Cage♀ pairing (P<0.05). The lowest fertility rate (88.00%) was obtained from the Enriched♂:Floor♀, the lowest hatchability of fertile egg rate (86.01%) was obtained from the Enriched♂:Enriched♀, and the lowest hatchability (75.62%) was obtained from the Enriched♂: Enriched♀ groups. As a result, it has been revealed that the effect of various rearing systems is different on egg production, egg quality traits, and hatching results in quails. Thus, it has been shown that different programs at the rearing period to be applied to the male and female quails can achieve better incubation results and reproductive success.

In pheasants, which are generally raised in large flocks, stocking density is important for their growth and development, normal behavior and welfare. But there is still a lack of information on the optimum stocking density for game birds. This research was conducted on a total of 200 pheasants to examine the effects of low (5 pheasant/m²) and high (10 pheasant/m²) stocking density rearing practices on body weight, morphological development, behavioral characteristics and welfare parameters such as foot-pad dermatitis and plumage quality. When we look at the study results, it was determined that the density of stocking did not make a difference in the first 13 weeks of age, but pheasants reared at low density at the ages of 14–16 weeks reached higher body weight. In terms of body weight at 14, 15, and 16 weeks, the low stocking density group had an average of approximately 41, 71, and 94 g higher than the high stocking density group, respectively (pppth week (p0.05). A 1.12 point higher score was calculated in the low group compared to the high group, especially in terms of tail feather quality, and as a result, pheasants reared in low stocking density had better plumage quality (p<0.05). It had been determined that as the stocking density decreases in the rearing of pheasants, they exhibit easier flight and roosting behaviors and therefore they were less affected by feather pecking behavior and had better feather quality. In addition, it had been determined that pheasants grow and develop better in this group, which had more rest opportunities. In conclusion, rearing at low stocking density is recommended for better fattening performance and better welfare conditions.

This study aims to determine welfare parameters such as foot-pad dermatitis (FPD) and plumage quality (PQ) scores at different slaughter ages in barn and free-range rearing systems for guinea fowl and pheasants. The birds randomly distributed with half of 200 Pheasant and 200 guinea fowl chicks were reared in both indoor and free-range systems. Game birds were examined for both FPD score and feather score (PQ) at 6, 12, 14, 16 and 18 weeks of age. The litter moisture content was also measured at 14, 16 and 18 weeks of the growing period. In guinea fowls, litter moisture content differed significantly according to the rearing system (P0.05). In terms of FPD, there was no difference in guinea fowl according to the rearing system, gender and slaughter age, but there was a difference in pheasants according to the slaughter age. In guinea fowl, the head PART feather quality was lower than the barn system (P

This study was aimed to determine the effect of hatching system (house and machine) and egg weight (heavy and light) on growth performance and meat quality traits in geese. The study was carried out for 12 weeks with a total of 220 Turkish native geese. The geese were individually weighed every 2 weeks during the study, on these same weeks feed conversion ratio (FCR) was measured. Hot and cold dressed, blood, head, foot, edible internal organs (heart, liver, gizzard), abdominal fat, neck, back, breast, thigh and wing percentages were determined. Also cooking loss, drip loss, color and pH were determined as meat quality traits. There was no significant difference between the egg weight groups in terms of BW. However, the geese produced in the house hatching system showed more BW from 6 to 12 weeks of age onwards compared to the machine system. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of FCR by 8 weeks. Both 10 and 12 weeks FCR were determined as the worst house heavy, while the best house light groups. Hot and cold carcass percentages in geese hatched from heavy were higher rates than light eggs. The percentage of wings differed significantly among geese produced from different egg weight groups. Breast meat cooking loss was found higher rates in heavy eggs than light eggs, while thigh meat cooking loss was found higher rates in the house than machine system. The results of this study show that geese hatched in the house system had more BW at the slaughter age compared to machine system geese. In addition, geese produced from heavy eggs showed a higher hot and cold dressed percentages than geese produced from light eggs.