A study on the impacts of rearing system, sex and plumage colour on haemato-biochemical indices of local turkey breeds (Meleagris gallopavo)

Abstract

In this study, 768 day-old poults were used to determine the effects of rearing system, sex and plumage colour on haematological and serum biochemical parameters of local turkey breed. Poults were brooded for 4 weeks followed by an acclimatization period of 2 weeks in two rearing systems (indoor and outdoor systems). Afterwards, birds were differentiated on sex and plumage colour bases into 8 treatments consisting of 96 birds per treatment for an experimental period of 10 weeks. Each treatment was further sub-divided into six replicates of 16 birds each. The experiment was arranged in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial layout and data obtained were subjected to Analysis of Variance. Rearing system had no significant (p>0.05) effect on all haemato-biochemical parameters measured. However, haemoglobin concentration was significantly (p<0.05) higher (14.10g/dl) in turkey hens while monocytes count was significantly (p<0.05) higher (1.88%) in turkey toms. Serum globulin was higher (p<0.05) in turkey hens (2.33mg/dl). Also, black-plumaged turkeys had significantly (p<0.05) higher (1.88%) monocyte count than 0.88% recorded in turkeys with white plumage. Also, rearing system, plumage colour and sex interaction significantly (p<0.05) influenced monocyte counts. Higher serum cholesterol (p<0.05) was recorded in black-plumaged turkeys and lower in white-plumaged turkeys. Therefore, it was concluded that black-plumaged toms reared in indoor system had the highest monocyte counts.