Effect of genotype on fertility and hatchability traits of F locally-adapted turkey of Nigeria

Abstract

A total of 78 one day-old random-bred Nigerian local turkey poults were used to produce another 232 day-old poults in two planned experiments to characterize and discriminate Nigerian local turkey based on fertility and hatchability traits. Three phenotypic classes (black, white and spotted)were obtained as base population and used to generate F progeny. Experimental design was a randomized complete block (RCBD) with phenotypic class as major factor of interest and hatches as block. Results showed that there was significant difference (p<0.05) in the fertility (%) of the phenotypic classes, with spotted turkeys having the highest value of 80.51%. The black turkey has significantly (p<0.05) highest hatchability of fertile eggs (74.91%) and hatchability of eggs set (62.20%) when compared with the white and spotted varieties. Peeped percent was significantly (p<0.05) lowest in the white turkeys (0.00%). There was significant difference (p<0.05) in the dead in shell percent of the phenotypic classes, with black and spotted turkeys having the lower values of 28.66% and 28.59% to compare with the white turkeys with the highest dead in shell (44.09%).Spotted and black phenotypes exhibited greater performance in fertility traits including hatchability of fertile eggs (%) among the three phenotypic groups. It is recommended that the spotted phenotype should be selected by breeders to achieve improved fertility, hatchability and production. Also management of eggs during incubation should be improved to increase the hatchability of eggs.