Protocols for manual weighing of turkeys are not practical on turkey farms because of the large body sizes, heavy weights and flighty nature of turkeys. The sounds turkeys make may be a proxy for bird weights, but the relationship between turkey sounds and bird weights has not been studied. The aim of this study was to correlate peak frequency (PF) of vocalization with the age and weight of the bird and examine the possibility using PF to predict the weight of turkeys. The study consisted of four trials in Egypt. Sounds of birds and their weights were recorded for 11 days during the growth period in each trial. A total 2200 sounds were manually analyzed and labelled by extracting individual and general sounds on the basis of the amplitude and frequency of the sound signal. The PF of vocalizations in each trial, as well as in pooled trails, were evaluated to determine the relationship between PF and the age and weight of the turkey. PF exhibited a highly significant negative correlation with the weight and age of the turkeys showing that PF of vocalizations can be used for predicting the weight of turkeys. Further studies are necessary to refine the procedure.

Crossbreeding has the advantage of benefiting from the effect of heterosis. A current crossbreeding experiment was conducted using Black Bronze (BB) and Large White Converter (CC) turkeys. Artificial insemination of 40 mature hens of CC with 6 toms of BB, and 40 mature hens of BB with 6 toms of CC were used to obtain F1 of the two turkey crosses (CB and BC) respectively. A total of 160 poults of the four groups of turkeys were taken in the evaluation in this study. This evaluation included some growth and carcass traits, and some biochemical blood and oxidative profile parameters. It was noticed that the body weight at different ages was higher in the large white turkeys-Converter, CC group, and then the crossbreed BC (BB toms × CC hens) group. The means of daily weight gain (DWG) and feed intake (FI) at different periods of age were highly significant (P≤0.05) high in CC followed by BC and CB turkeys. Feed conversion (FC) reached the lowest values in CC while the BB genotype was having the highest values. The crosses showed significant values in percentages of carcass/live body weight compared to BB. The hind part of the carcass differed significantly (P≤0.05) among the four groups of birds regardless of other parts (neck, wing, and chest/carcass). Blood serum protein, glucose, urea, and albumin levels were not significantly affected by the genotype. However, globulin and triglyceride levels were affected significantly (P≤0.05) by the genotype. Oxidative profile parameters were affected significantly (P≤0.05) by the genotype. The crossbreeding parameters obtained showed that the additive effect was significant for DWG and FI during the periods from hatching to 24 weeks while it was not significant for FC. The additive effects were not significant for carcass traits, and biochemical blood profile parameters except for glutathione reductase and total antioxidant capacity. The cross effect was significant for DWG during the periods hatching-12, only. The cross effect in FI during the period from hatching to 24 weeks was significant while it was not significant in FC. The cross effects of the two reciprocal crosses were not significant in all carcass parameters and biochemical blood profiles. The oxidative profile was not significantly different in the cross effect except for hydrogen peroxide (HP) and; malondialdehyde. Presumably, the crossbreeding between large white Converter turkeys with Bronze turkeys was to benefit from the effect of heterosis. The crosses have a growth performance and carcass traits higher with a relative growth advantage when the hens were Hybrid Converters. The first generation in crossbreeding could be submitted to selection for the constitution of a synthetic strain.

A total number of 50 males of bronze turkey were used in this study. Body weights (BW) in kg were recorded at 36, 40 and 44 weeks of age. Body measurements (BM) such as body length (BL), breast circumference (BC), keel length (KL) and shank length (SL) in cm were measured at 36, 40 and 44 weeks of age were also studied. Results show that means of body weight

A total of 120 one day-old Nicholas turkey chicks were divided randomly into six equal groups. The first and second groups were treated with distilled water (once and twice weekly) and served as control (T1 and T2), the third and forth groups (T3 and T4) were treated with 5% potassium iodide (KI) solution once and twice weekly, respectively, while fifth and sixth (T5 and T6) groups were treated with 10% potassium iodide (KI) solution once and twice weekly, respectively. The treatments were spraying over chick heads. The chicks were kept at rearing wire cages, and the feed and water were available ad libitum. At 45 days of age ten birds from each group were intramuscularly injected with 0.5 ml of SRBCs. The obtained results showed that chicks sprayed with 10% KI showed the highest LBW and gain (P<0.05) at 30, 45 and 60 days of age, followed by 5% KI, while the control showed the lightest weights and gain. LBW and gain of chicks at 60 days of age was higher (P<0.05) for spraying once than twice/week. Both KI levels increased (P<0.05) WBCs count and blood hemoglobin (Hb) concentration as compared to control. Chicks in 10% KI treatment showed the highest (P<0.05) WBCs count and Hb concentration. WBCs count was higher (P<0.05) by spraying the chicks twice/week than once/week. RBCs count and Hb concentration were nearly similar as affected by spraying time. Serum total protein (TP) concentration increased (P<0.05) with 10% KI as compared to control, but did not differ from that with 5% KI. Globulin (GL) concentration increased (P<0.05) and albumin (AL) was not affected by 10% KI. However, AL/GL ratio increased (P<0.05) with 5% KI as compared to control, but did not differ from that with 10% KI. There were insignificant differences in AST and ALT activities. Serum T3 concentration was the highest (P<0.05) with 10% KI, followed by 5% KI and the lowest in control, respectively. T3 concentration was higher (P<0.05) by spraying twice than once/week. Chicks treated with 10% KI showed the highest (P<0.05) antibody titer and the lowest (P<0.05) lysozyme concentration, followed by 5% KI, while the control showed the lowest antibody titer and the highest lysozyme concentration (P<0.05). Spraying twice/week increased (P<0.05) antibody titer and decreased lysozyme concentration, reflecting the highest immune response for chicks treated with 10% KI twice/week.It could be concluded that potassium iodide had positive effect on turkey chicks when used as spraying over heads of growing chicks with 10% once a week.