SEXUAL DIMORPHISM IN TWO STRAINS OF LOCAL TURKEY AT EARLY REPRODUCTIVE STAGE UNDER INTENSIVE SYSTEM OF MANAGEMENT IN

Résumé

The study was designed to access the variations existing in traits of local turkey's strains at their early reproductive ages with the purpose of recommending useful economic traits for selection at early reproductive age. Body weights, body length, neck length, breast girt, thigh length, shank length and keel length of 36 early reproductive turkeys reared in the intensive system of management were taken and analyzed in a one-way ANOVA. The results showed that variability was prominent between the two sex of turkey which favoured the male as an expression of sexual dimorphism for all traits while the white strain was superior over the black in traits of body weight and breast girth. It can be concluded that breeders can select this unimproved local turkey strains considering the high level of coefficient of variation exhibited between sexes and strains for improved productivity.