PREDICTION OF BODY WEIGHT OF LOCAL AND EXOTIC TURKEY STRAINS FROM LINEAR BODY PARAMETERS USING LINEAR AND CUBID REGRESSION MODELS

Abstract

This study was carried out to predict the body weight of local and exotic turkey strains from linear body parameters using linear and cubic regression models. A total of One Hundred (100) 1-day-old turkey poults consisting of 75 local strains and 25 exotic turkey strain was used for the study. Each strain was replicated three (3) times with eight (8) birds per replicate. Prophylactic antibiotics and anticoccidial drugs were administered to the birds, fed feed and fresh water was given to them ad-libitum. The experiment lasted for twenty (20) weeks with the measurement of the linear body parameter and body weight of the birds collected bi-weekly. The data collected was subjected to linear and cubic regression models. And the result from the regressions equations demonstrated a positively relationship between body weight, linear body measurement component with age, showing that increase in the body weight and linear body parameters will increase as the birds increase in age. The result on linear regression showed high level of association at p˂0.05 significant level and ^R2 (%) in the parameters with the least value seen in local black body weight 54 (R²%) and highest seen in thigh length of local black with (R²%). In the cubic function, high level of significance was seen in all the parameters with the least value of 60 (R²%) seen in the local black while the highest value of 97 (R²%) was seen in the thigh length of local black and breast length of spotted. Based on the research
results, body weight of turkeys can be predicted using linear regression and cubic models.