STUDY ON PHENOTYPIC AND REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF TURKEY (Meleagris gallopavo) IN CHITTAGONG, BANGLSDESH.

Abstract

Bangladesh is a lower middle income economic country. Day-by-day per head income become increasing therefore, the demand of poultry meat also increasing to fulfill protein demand. Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a western bird but commercial rearing started in Bangladesh for meat purpose. The study was conducted to characterize the morphology and reproductive characters of turkey at Chittagong metropolitan city in Bangladesh. The duration of the study was July 2017 to November 2017. A total of 50 turkeys (25 males and 25 females) were taken for the study. According to the plumage color the following varieties were observed Bronze(68%), Black and White(20%), White(12%).The following morphological characters(plumage color, eye color, beak color, shank color, beak shape) were observed. The parameters (body weight, body length, beak length, drumstick length, shank length) were measured. Adult hen laid egg at 7.65±0.17 months of age, a hen laid 68.3±1.26 eggs per year, average egg weight was 67.9±0.51 gm, duration of clutches were 2.57±0.17 months, number of clutches were 2.37±0.23 per year, male and females ratio were 1:4.61±0.32 maintained, total eggs hatchability were 49.6±1.98, average poults hatched weight were 40.2±0.91 gm respectively.