THE EFFECT OF LENGTH OF DAY AND TEMPERATURE ON THE DEPOSITION OF SUBCUTANEOUS FAT BY MARKET TURKEYS

Abstract

A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, involving a total of 400 21-week-old Broad Breasted Bronze turkey males, was undertaken, using two buildings differing in temperature, two lengths of day (9 and 14 hours), and two finishing diets (low and high efficiency). Feed consumption, gain in weight, feed-gain ratio, and carcass score were all higher for the lower temperature location. Ambient temperature differences had a greater effect on the high efficiency diet than on the low efficiency diet. Length of day had no overall effect on the above criteria. Interactions between the low and high efficiency diets, and day length, were demonstrated.