Fertility and Hatchability of Eggs from Two Varieties of Turkeys and Their Reciprocal Crosses

Abstract

C ONSIDERABLE losses occur every season as a result of low fertility and hatchability of eggs among the strains of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys that now constitute the majority of the turkeys raised in the United States. It is estimated that of each 100 eggs incubated only about 55 poults hatch. If fertility and/or hatchability is inherited, • then more poults can be hatched per 100 eggs set from flocks in which proper selection and breeding are practiced than from those in which little attention is given to those factors. Thus, considerable economic gain would result.The purpose of the present study was to compare crossbred matings with purebreds to determine whether or not efficiency in reproduction might be increased by crossing.A number of investigators have reported on the fertility and hatchability of various strains and varieties of turkeys and on the results of crossing different strains and varieties.Whitson, Marsden, and Titus (1944) found significant differences in fertility and hatchability between Broad Breasted Bronze and three other varieties. The fertility in all cases was determined by candling at 7 days. The eggs of the Broad Breasted Bronze variety were 83.1% fertile; the standardbred Bronze, 94.0%; the White Holland, 96.8%; and the Beltsville Small White, 92.8%. The average hatchability of fertile eggs was, respectively, 48.9, 73.4, 71.9, and 76.0%.Clark, Runnels, and Livesay (1944) reported that the average hatchability of fertile eggs as determined by candling was 8.2% lower in the standardbred Bronze, Broad Breasted Bronze, and standardbred Bourbon Red matings than in reciprocal crosses of these varieties. The authors concluded that the higher hatch of eggs from crossbred matings was due to heterosis. The fertility of the crossbred matings was slightly higher than that of the purebreds, but differences were not statistically significant.Fertility and hatchability in two varieties and their crosses were also studied by Walter and Hoffman (1947). These workers found that fertility was low (56.7%) in a mating of Broad Breasted Bronze, but much higher in matings of Beltsville Small White, Beltsville Small White males X Broad Breasted Bronze females, and Broad Breasted Bronze males X Beltsville Small White females; 82.4, 82.9, and 78.3 percent, respectively. In every case fertility was determined by candling at 7 days. These same workers found no significant differences in the hatchability of fertile eggs between matings of Broad Breasted Bronze, Beltsville Small White, and Beltsville Small White X Broad Breasted Bronze, each mating producing eggs of about 68 percent hatchability. However, a mating of Broad Breasted 548

The Effect of Body Weight in Broad Breasted Bronze Turkeys upon Fertility and Hatchability

“…Broad Breasted Bronze with smaller breeds show that hatchability of all eggs set is lower for the larger variety (Sampson and Wilson, 1944;Walter and Hoffman, 1947;Marsden and Olsen, 1950). Somewhat poorer results from hatch of all eggs were reported from larger than from smaller Bronze hens by Funk (1950) although Parker and Harper (1950) found no convincing evidence of such differences among somewhat smaller Bronze hens.…”

Semen Production in the Turkey Male

“…By selection of individual hen families Harper and Parker (1950) established lines of strains differing in fertility after the first two weeks following artificial insemination. Maternal effects on fertility have been re-ported in turkeys (Marsden and Olsen, 1950) but not in chickens (Hazel and Lamoreaux, 1947). Maternal effects on fertility have been re-ported in turkeys (Marsden and Olsen, 1950) but not in chickens (Hazel and Lamoreaux, 1947).…”

Genetic Variation of Fertility and Hatchability in the Broad Breasted Bronze Turkey ,

“…Henderson (1951) reported on the inheritance of hatching power in the Dark Cornish fowl. The cross-breeding studies of Clark et al (1944), Jull and Phillips (1946), Walter and Hoffman (1947), and Marsden and Olsen (1950) as well as the breed comparisons by Whitson et al (1944) all point to the heritable nature of the differences in fertility and hatchability in turkeys. A number of lethal and semi-lethal genes affecting embryonic mortality in the turkey have been identified by Asmundson (1939Asmundson ( , 1942Asmundson ( , 1944 and by Hutt and Mueller (1942).…”