The effects of breeding system male and female ratio, breeder age and weight on egg production hatchability and egg quality characteristics in rock partridge (Alectoris Graeca)

The Effects of Breeding System Male and Female Ratio, Breeder Age and Weight on Egg Production Hatchability and Egg Quality Characteristics in Rock Partridge (Alectoris Graeca)This study was conducted to determine the effects of grown at breeding systems, male-female ratios, hatching age periods and live weight on egg production, hatchability and egg quality characteristics of partidges which were.For this purpose, the partridges were placed in mating cage system as; 1 male: 3 female, 1 male: 4 female, 1 male: 5 female, and in group cage system as 3 male : 9 female, 3 male: 12 female, 3 male: 15 female. The study, was lasted for a total of 90 days by forming there live weight groups (> 550g: heavy, 500-550g: medium and <500g light) in the first (32-34 weeks), second (36-39 weeks) and the third (40-43 weeks) hatching age periods. The values for egg production, hatchability, fertilization rate, egg weight, albumin index and Haugh unit were calculated as 36.87 %, 41.87 and 38.66 (P <0.05); 82.73 %, 84.62 and 80.05 (P <0.05); 74.95 %, 79.84 and 81.23 (P <0.05); 21:56 %, 22:57 and 23:52 (P <0.05); 1:45%, 1.50 and 1.58 (P <0.05); and 90.23%, 87.25 and 84.38 (P <0.05) in the first, second and the third hatching age periods, respectively. The values for egg production, hatchability, fertility rate, egg weight, yolk weight, albumin weight, albumin index and Haugh unit were determined to increase as the hatching age period increased (P <0.05). Likewise, the increase in the live weight of partidges resulted in statistically significant increases in the values of egg production, egg weight, fertility rate, shape index, albumin index and Haugh unit (P <0.05, P <0.01).In 1 male: 3 female, 1 male: 4 female, 1 male: 5 female partridge groups which were grown in mating cages, the values of 47.87 %, 45.78 and 42.68 (P <0.01) for egg production, 24.42, 22.93 and 20.43g (P <0.05) for egg weight, 83.57 %, 86.73, and 82.81 (P <0.05) for hatchability, 80.43 %, 82.14 and 78.58 (P <0.05) for fertility rate, 84.47%, 85.31 and 80.15 (P <0, 05) for hatchability of fertile eggs, 77.23 %, 74.35 and 71.61 (P <0.05) for shape index, 48.79 %, 46.43 and 44.72 (P <0.05) for yolk index, 1.51, 1.59 and 1.67 (P <0.05) for albumin index, and 94.65, 91.59 and 88.41 (P <0.05) for Haugh unit were obtained, respectively. In 3 male: 9 female, 3 male: 12 female, 3 male: 15 female partridge groups that were grown in group cages, the values of 44.53 %, 43.35 and 40.08 (P <0.05) for egg production, 23.74, 21.86 and 19.79 g (P <0.05) for egg weight, 84.33%, 85.75, and 80.67 (P <0.05) for hatchability, 79.83 %, 80.35 and 75.47 (P <0.05) for fertility rate, 74.28 %, 72.35 and 70.57 (P <0.05 ) for shape index, 46.24 %, 44.36 and 42.53 (P <0.05) for yolk index, 1.41 %, 1.46 and 1.50 (P <0.05) for albumin index, and 88.69, 85.65 and 82.26 (P <0.05) for Haugh unit were obtained, respectively. In the breeding systems, the values of egg production, egg weight, shape index, yolk weight, yolk index and Haugh unit values were significantly (P <0.05, P <0.01) reduction, the albumin index value (P <0, 05) found an increase as the intensity of male:female breeding increased. In order to improve partidge breeding in Turkey, large scaled scientific studies aiming to investigate growth and stock performances in addition to egg production and quality are required which will make enable to recommend more robust breeding systems for farmers.Keywords: Partridge, breeding systems, hatching age periods, live body weight, male female ratio, egg production, hatching and egg quality characteristics