The growth of turkeys 2. Body components and allometric relationships
Creators: name: R.M. Gous
name: C. Fisher
name: E. Tůmová
name: V. Machander
name: D. Chodová
name: J. Vlčková
name: L. Uhlířová
name: M. Ketta
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2019
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Physiology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: 59999 Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: FOS: Earth and related environmental sciences
subject: Immunology
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: FOS: Clinical medicine
subject: 69999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Developmental Biology
subject: Cardiology

description: The relationships between the main components of the body and body protein among males and females of BUT 6 (BUT) and Hybrid Converter (HYB) turkey strains were examined.The weights of breast meat, breast skin, drumstick meat, drumstick skin, thigh meat, thigh skin and wing-plus-skin as well as the head, neck, feet, blood, heart, liver and gizzard were measured at different stages of growth after which all components of each bird were minced together in order to determine the feather-free body protein weight of each bird sampled. Using the weights of the components and the protein content of each bird the allometric relationships between the components and body protein were determined and then compared for each strain x sex combination.By excluding the breast weights at day-old and at 7 d, the remaining points produced an acceptable allometric relationship (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.992). Thigh weight could be predicted for all strain x sex combinations using one allometric equation, as could drumstick skin weight. Breast and thigh skin weights differed between males and females. Females of the HYB strain exhibited heavier drumstick and wing-plus-skin weights at a given body protein weight than the other three strain x sex combinations. These differences in both the constant term and regression coefficient in the allometric equations between genotypes are probably due to differences in the amount of lipid that is deposited in these tissues.Sexes differed in the allometric relationships for head, feet, heart and liver, while breeds differed in gizzard weight. A common relationship between the four genotypes could be used to predict the weight of blood in the carcass.The allometric equations fitted to the data in this trial enable the accurate prediction of the weights of the different physical components given the weight of body protein. The relationships between the main components of the body and body protein among males and females of BUT 6 (BUT) and Hybrid Converter (HYB) turkey strains were examined. The weights of breast meat, breast skin, drumstick meat, drumstick skin, thigh meat, thigh skin and wing-plus-skin as well as the head, neck, feet, blood, heart, liver and gizzard were measured at different stages of growth after which all components of each bird were minced together in order to determine the feather-free body protein weight of each bird sampled. Using the weights of the components and the protein content of each bird the allometric relationships between the components and body protein were determined and then compared for each strain x sex combination. By excluding the breast weights at day-old and at 7 d, the remaining points produced an acceptable allometric relationship (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.992). Thigh weight could be predicted for all strain x sex combinations using one allometric equation, as could drumstick skin weight. Breast and thigh skin weights differed between males and females. Females of the HYB strain exhibited heavier drumstick and wing-plus-skin weights at a given body protein weight than the other three strain x sex combinations. These differences in both the constant term and regression coefficient in the allometric equations between genotypes are probably due to differences in the amount of lipid that is deposited in these tissues. Sexes differed in the allometric relationships for head, feet, heart and liver, while breeds differed in gizzard weight. A common relationship between the four genotypes could be used to predict the weight of blood in the carcass. The allometric equations fitted to the data in this trial enable the accurate prediction of the weights of the different physical components given the weight of body protein.