Phenotypic evaluation of feed efficiency, growth and carcass traits in native turkeys

Improving feed efficiency decreases feed intake, total cost, and the environmental emission of poultry production. This study aimed to investigate different feed efficiency, growth and carcass traits between high and low feed efficiency birds in Iranian native turkeys. Growth and carcass characteristics of native turkeys were recorded. Four different feed efficiency traits, including feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), residual body weight gain (RG), and residual intake and body weight gain (RIG) were calculated. The phenotypic correlations were calculated among feed efficiency measurements and different growth traits. High and low feed efficiency birds based on FCR were compared for growth and carcass traits. The phenotypic correlation between FCR and RFI was 0.5 and FCR was strongly correlated with RG and RIG. Breast muscle weight of high feed efficiency birds based of FCR was significantly higher than low feed efficiency birds. The results showed that phenotypic selection based on each of the feed efficiency traits will automatically progress the others, however, using FCR can be more straightforward in local farms and results in producing more beneficial turkeys with better growth and carcass features.