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A comparison of the effects of age at photostimulation on sexual maturity and egg production in domestic fowl, turkeys, partridges and quail

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

P.D. Lewis  and
T.R. Morris
P.D. Lewis
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading, Berkshire RG6 2AT, UK
T.R. Morris
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading, Berkshire RG6 2AT, UK
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Abstract

An analysis of data for domestic pullets, turkeys, partridges and quail (Coturnix) indicates that, once all birds within a flock have become sexually photoresponsive but before spontaneous sexual development commences, mean age at first egg, egg production in a given period, mean body weight at first egg and mean egg weight increase linearly with age at photostimulation. These relationships are steeper for age at first egg in turkeys, partridges and quail, for egg production in turkeys and partridges and for egg weight and body weight in turkeys than those seen in domestic pullets. This may indicate differential responses by seasonal and non-seasonal breeding birds, species-specific factors such as geographical origins, or may reflect differing periods of artificial selection in the four species. Egg weight in domestic pullets and turkeys is significantly correlated with body weight at first egg.

Keywords

sexual maturityegg productionegg weightphotostimulationpartridgesturkeyspulletsquail
Type
Research Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 54 , Issue 2 , June 1998 , pp. 119 - 128
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

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