Investigating of the possibility of second production in a year from rock partridges (Alectoris graeca) under intensive breeding

Author: Kemal Kirikçi ^*, Orhan Çetin, Aytekin Günlü, Cafer Tepeli and Alper Yilmaz

Received 18 November 2002, accepted 12 January 2003.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate of the possibility of second production in a year from Rock partridges. In the study, 12 male and 48 female partridges at 32 weeks of age were used. The partridges were mated in cages at the ratio of 1 male:4 female. Appropriate lighting regime (16 light:8 dark) was applied to partridges at 58 weeks of age to obtain second production in a year. Egg production, fertility, hatchability, hatchability of fertile eggs in the first and second periods of partridges were determined to be 51.55 and 42.80 egg/hen, 83.34 and 75.73 %, 66.89 and 59.80 %, 80.18 and 80.22 % respectively. It was determined that there were significantly differences among egg production (P<0.001) for the first and the second period. But differences between the others characters were not significant. As a result of this study, It was concluded that production characteristics of partridges could be increased via forced molting; however a suitable programme should be developed respecting animal welfare. In this way, more economically partridge breeding can be done.