Rearing system effects on live weight gain of large white turkeys

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of three production systems on live weight gain (LWG) of white turkeys by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and profile analysis. A total of 81 turkey poults were assigned to intensive (7 male and 19 female), semi-intensive (9 male and 19 female) and extensive groups (11 male and 16 female) at one day old. The poults were wing-banded at day 1 after hatching and weighed individually each week through 16 weeks old. The birds were managed similarly through eight weeks old. After that time, the intensive group was fed concentrated feed indoors. The birds of the semi-intensive group had access to pasture for eight hours a day, and received 50% of the concentrated feed that was consumed by the intensive group. The birds in the extensive group were kept outdoors with shade and grazed on pasture, but did not receive concentrated feed. The bi-weekly LWG of the extensive, intensive and semi-intensive groups were 1191.4 g, 990.6 g and 872.1 g, respectively. Through the 16 weeks of the trial, the effects on LWG of production system, age, and interaction of age and production system were highly significant (P <0.01) in the repeated measures ANOVA. The profile analysis also showed highly significant (P <0.01) production system effects and interaction of production system and age on LWG. Scheffe’s test indicated that the intensive, semi-intensive, and extensive treatments differed (P <0.05).