Predictions of growth curve models' coefficients of partridges (Alectoris chukar) in artificial environments

In this study, it was aimed to determine the goodness of the fit of various growth curve models of partridges (Alectoris chukar) kept in artificial rearing environment. A total of 159 partridges (85 females and 74 males) were used as material in the study. Partridges were kept in this artificial rearing environment from hatching to 20 weeks of age and their weekly body weights were measured. Then, these weekly body weights were applied to Gompertz, Logistic, von Bertalanffy and Richards growth curve models to determine the goodness of the fit of the models. In the study, asymptotic weight parameters (θ1) were estimated as 512.06, 484.30, 532.35 and 547.23 in Gompertz, Logistic, von Bertalanffy and Richards growth curve models, respectively. In the study, R2 (coefficient of determination) and adjusted R2, AIC (Akaike information criteria) and BIC (Schwarz Bayesian information criteria) values were used to determine the model's superioerity and goodness of the it. In the study, the esrimated R2 and adjusted R2 values were higher than >0.99 in all models. When all evaluation criteria were simultanesouslyconsidered, it was concluded that the Gompertz growth model was the most appropriate model for predicting the growth of partridges. On the other hand, Logistic growth curve model was determined as the closest model to Gompertz growth curve model.