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Intensive production practices, faulty maintenance and feeding, unsuitable keeping conditions, antinutritional factors in feeds and similar abnormalities lead to irregularities in both hormone and enzyme systems in poultry. Especially, due to disorders in endocrine system, a specific hormone, melatonin, can not be produced or underproduced, and thus its metabolic and physiological functions are negatively affected in the organisms. Melatonin (ML) is one of the important hormones that prevent metabolic and physiological disorders in poultry but does not attract attention by poultry scientist. ML regulates the brain's biological clock, acts on respiration, circulation, excretion, reproduction and immunity system. ML helps regulate feed consumption, energy metabolism and body heat. It also provides elimination of free radicals in the body. ML stimulates growth hormone secretion and, thus, effects growth performance of poultry positively. It is considered necesary to focus more effectively on the melatonin hormone, which is a positive contribution to animal welfare by correcting metabolic-physiological disorders in poultry. In this review, the definition of melatonin, its interaction with other hormones, its effect on the physiological and metabolic functions of poultry were examined.

The aim of the current experiment was to evaluate the possibility of the use of gyttja as an alternative litter material to wood shavings in broiler production. In the current experiment 3150 chicks were used in two experimental groups consisting of 1575 chicks with three repetitions (3x525 chicks). The experiment last for 39 days. During the experiment chicks in two experimental groups with same diets. There were no significant differences between experimental groups in terms of live weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and mortality. However, foot pad dermatitis (FPD) was found to be higher in the gyttja litter group and the difference between the groups was significant (P=0.011). In conclusion, gyttja could be used instead of wood shavings as litter in broiler houses without compromising the growth parameters. However, it should be known that there will be more FPD when using gyttja as litter in broiler production compared to using wood shavings.

In this study, the effects of light stimulation at normal (NLS: 154 days) and early (ELS: 140 days) age on some physiological and reproductive traits in dam and sire broiler pure-lines were carried out during the laying period. The study was conducted with A1, A2, A3, A4 dam lines and B1, B2 sire lines up to 43 weeks of age, whose breeding studies were carried out in Eskişehir Geçit Kuşağı Agricultural Research Institute. Live weight and feed consumption were determined during the growing period. In the laying period, in addition to these, the first laying age, 50% yield age, egg yield, hatching egg yield and egg weight were determined. The data obtained were evaluated according to light stimulation age and pure-lines by two factor analysis of variance. NLS and ELS treatments did not significantly affect the body weights of the pure-lines at 20, 24 and 43 weeks of age. However, differences were found significant in terms of body weight at 20, 24 and 43 weeks of age in pure-lines. Lines reached the first laying age at 172 days in NLS, and at 165 days of age in ELS. The 50% yield age was realized at 184 d and 176 d of age in parallel with the first laying age. The effects of light stimulation age on egg yield and hatching egg yield were found significant. In NLS treatment all pure-lines, 5 more eggs were produced in egg yield and hatching egg yield. However, differences in egg yield and weight in pure-lines were found significant. The study results showed that the egg production can be increased by first light stimulation at the 20 weeks of age, provided that at least 2 kg live weight is achieved in broiler pure-lines.

In this study, Hubbard Red JA57 genotype, which growing slowly in mixed sex, were examined in indoor (KYS) and free-range raising systems (SYS). The study was carried out at the Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University (KSU), Animal Production Application and Research Center for 12 weeks. Each treatment was represented by 3 groups containing 28 male chick (total 168 chick). During the indoor treatment, the chicks were raised in floor pens in a conventional house (3.7 birds/m2). In the free-range treatment, the chickens were housed in a similar indoor house (3.7 birds/m2); in addition, they also had a free-range clover paddock (0.9 bird/m2). All birds were provided with the same diets as ad-libitum. In two different raising systems; live weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, survival rate, carcass and parts rates, edible giblets weight and rates, testicular weights and rates, rectal temperature and tonic immobility were examined. Results showed that the weekly feed conversion ratio was found to be significant at the 11th week and the additive feed conversion ratio at the 12th week. The difference between the groups in terms of rectal temperature and tonic immobility values, testicular weights and rates were found to be significant. In terms of average interaction; While the average rates of hot carcass, cold carcass, back, breast meat and neck were the same, the averages of thigh, bony breast and wing ratios were different. The highest mean abdominal fat rate was found in KYS females, the highest average gizzard rate in SYS females, the highest mean liver in KYS females, and the highest heart weight in SYS males.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of housing system on morphological characteristics of Atak-S cocks reared in closed and free range systems. Cocks were fed with standard feed according to feeding program for seventeen weeks. In order to determine the effect of the housing system on some morphological features and asymmetry, Crest length (İU), Crest width (İG), Eye width (GG), Nose length (BU), Face width (YG), Wattle length (SU), Beak length (GU) in bilateral features, measurements were made from the right and left sides on the head of the cocks. Furthermore, foot features such as Width of tarsometatarsus at the joint with tibiotarsus (EG), Length of tarsometatarsus (TU), Width at 1 cm above the spur of tarsometatarsus (MG1), Width of tarsometatarsus at the spur (MG2), Length of the back toe (AP), Length of the outer toe nail (DT), Length of the fourth phalanx of the outer toe (D4), Length of the third phalanx of the outer toe (D3), Length of the mid toe nail (OT), Length of the fourth phalanx of the mid toe (O4), Length of the third phalanx of the mid toe (O3) measurements were taken on the right and left feet of the cocks. All measurements were made in millimetres (0.01 mm) using a digital caliper. Relative asymmetry (GA) and fluctuating asymmetry (DA) values were calculated for the features showing bilateral symmetry. According to the statistical analysis on the obtained data, the morphological characteristics of ATAK-S cocks were not affected by the housing system, and that the characters underlined in both housing conditions developed in the same way as right and left.

Bu çalışmada, yemlerine sırası ile % 0 (kontrol), 0.3 ve 0.6 oranlarında kuru maya (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ilave edilen etlik piliçlerin (broyler) büyüme performansları araştırılmış, haftalara göre canlı ağırlıkları ve yem dönüşüm oranları incelenmiştir. Denemede her grup 3 tekerrür ve 4m 2 her tekerrüre 40 adet karışık cinsiyette Ross308 etlik civciv konulmuştur. Denemede standart 4 çeşit ticari yem (başlangıç, büyütme, etlik piliç ve bitirme) kullanılmıştır. Deneme sonunda, haftalara göre canlı ağırlık bakımından gruplar arasında istatistikî olarak bir fark görülmemiştir (P>0.05). 6. hafta sonunda kontrol, % 0.3 ve % 0.6 kuru maya gruplarındaki canlı ağırlıklar sırası ile 2597.7, 2654.9 ve 2568.4 g olarak bulunmuştur. Yem dönüşüm oranı (FCR) bakımından da gruplar arasında istatistikî bir fark bulunmamıştır (P>0.05). 6. hafta sonunda kontrol, % 0.3 ve % 0.6 kuru maya gruplarındaki yem dönüşüm oranları sırası ile 1.64, 1.69 ve 1.68 olarak bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak, etlik piliç yemlerine farklı oranlarda ilave edilen kuru mayanın canlı ağırlık kazancı ve yem dönüşüm oranına etkisinin olmadığı belirlenmiştir.

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