ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to predict body weight of turkeys using linear body measurement and to determine the growth rates of the male and female local turkeys using various linear body measurements. A total 60 birds (30 males and 30 females) were managed under irretentive. system. Body weight and linear body measurements were recorded at the end of weeks 6 and 15 corresponding to the end of starter and finisher phases respectively. The body weight and linear body measurements of male and female turkeys were compared using students' paired sample T-test statistic. The multiple linear regression analysis was used to predict body weight of male and female local turkeys. The results of this studies showed that the body weight and body dimension of male turkeys were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of the female turkeys at weeks 6 and 15. Stepwise multiple linear regression showed that in week 6, the male local turkeys had higher R2values (0.48 and 0.56) than the freaks with R2 value of (0.20 and 0.31). In week 15, the male local turkeys also had higher R2values than the female local turkeys. Of all the prediction equation, the male body weight prediction equation in week 15, which combined body length (BL), shank length (SL) and keel length (KL), had the highest R2va!ues of 0.60. This shows that the body weight in growing turkeys may best be predicted with a combination of these linear body measurements.