Sezai Alkan

Comparison of growth characteristics of chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) raised in captivity.

Abstract Balcioğlu, M.S., Rizilkaya, K., Karabağ, K., Alkan, S., Yolcu, H.İ. and Şahin, E.2009. Comparison of growth characteristics of chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) raised in captivity. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 21–24. This study was carried out to estimate growth curve of chukar partridges and to compare the parameter estimates based on Gompertz, Bertalanffy and Logistic models. The growth curve functions were fitted to the observed data individually by using non-linear regression procedure with Marquart algorithm of SAS, NLIN procedure. Gompertz model (with highest determination coefficient and the lowest residual variance) was found to be the best to determine the growth pattern. Sex had significant effect on the estimates of parameter A and weight and age at inflection point within each model.

The effects of thermal manipulation during early and late embryogenesis on hatchability, hatching weight and body weight in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract. This study aimed to determine the effects of thermal manipulation during early embryogenesis (EE) and late embryogenesis (LE) on hatching weight, body weight at 5 weeks of age, hatchability and embryonic mortality rate in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Incubation conditions from day 0 to day 17 were; 37.7 °C and 55 % relative humidity for control group. In the thermally treated eggs during early embryogenesis (EE6-EE8 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41 °C and relative humidity to 65 % for 3 hours (12.00-15.00) at 3 consecutive days. Also, in the late embryogenesis stage (LE12-LE14 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41 °C and relative humidity to 65 % 3 hours (12.00–15.00) at 3 consecutive days. At hatch in each trial, all chicks were wing-banded and individually weighted. Thermal manipulations had significant effect on hatching weight, and lowest hatching weights were found in late embryogenesis (LE) group in terms of male and female. In addition, thermal manipulations and gender had significant effect on body weight at 5 weeks of age and lowest body weights at 5 weeks of age were dedected in late embryogenesis (LE) group for both gender.

Comparison of Hens Reared in Free-Range and Deep-Litter Systems in Terms of Certain Production Characteristics

The study was carried out compare the hens reared in free range system and deep-litter system in terms of certain production characteristics. A total of 300 Lohmann Brown hens, with 150 hens in each of the groups were used in the study. In the free range system, 4 m2 grazing ground was allocated for each hen. The hens were taken into research henhouse at 16 weeks of age and production characteristics were determined up to 52 weeks of age. It was determined that out of the characteristics focused in the study, there is no significant difference between the groups in terms of viability, 50% production age, egg weight, hen-day egg production, feed efficiency, feed consumption and body weight at 18 week of age, whereas there is a significant difference in terms of final body weight. In the study, it was concluded that hens in the deep-litter system gained more body weight compared to those in the free-range system but the other characteristics were not affected by the husbandry systems.

The effects of thermal manipulations during early and late embryogenesis on body temperatures of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of thermal manipulations during early embryogenesis (EE) and late embryogenesis (LE) on body temperature of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Incubation conditions from day 0 to day 17 were 37.7°C and 55% relative humidity for control group. In the thermally treated eggs during EE (EE6, EE7 and EE8 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41°C and relative humidity to 65% for 3 hours (12:00–15:00) on the sixth, seventh and eighth days of incubation. Also, in the LE stage (EL12, EL13 and EL14 days), incubation temperature was increased to 41°C and relative humidity to 65% for 3 hours (12:00–15:00) on the 12th, 13th and 14th days of incubation. Average temperature, relative humidity and total heat of indoor air were changed from 28.71 to 30.44°C, from 45.69 to 57.15% and from 14.67 to 16.16 kcal kg–1 dry air, respectively. Higher total heat of indoor air in 10–11 weeks than that of other weeks was found. Significant differences between the control (41.52±0.26°C) and manipulation groups were found, but no significant difference between the EE (41.23±0.40°C) and LE (41.26±0.37°C) groups with respect to body temperatures. Body temperatures of quails were measured as 41.55±0.31°C, 41.56±0.26°C; 41.17±0.33°C and 41.07±0.30°C at 10, 11, 12 and 13 weeks of age, respectively. In addition, differences among the weeks in point of body temperatures of quails were found to be significant (p<0.01).

Effects of Season and Line on Sexual Maturity and Some Egg Yield Traits in Selected Japanese Quails (Coturnix Coturnix japonica)

Abstract Alkan, S., Karabag, K., Galic, A. and Balcioglu, M.S. 2009. Effects of season and line on egg yield traits in Japanese quails. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 35: 105–108. This study was conducted to determine the effects of season and lines on age at sexual maturity, body weight at sexual maturity and some egg yield traits in 11 generations of selected Japanese quail. The material used in this research was selected from high (HL) or low (LL) body weight Japanese quail lines according to 5-week body weights and their random bred control line and layer line (L) for 120 d egg production. Average egg weight was the lowest in summer and in LL line, which also had lowest total egg number, total egg weight and hen day egg production. Maximum eggs were produced by L line, while heaviest eggs were produced by HL line. The highest and lowest ages at sexual maturity were determined in winter and summer seasons, respectively. Also, the heaviest first egg weight was found in winter season. It is concluded that lines and seasons generally affected quail egg production.