Abstract:
Two experiments were conducted in this study. In Experiment one, a study was
conducted in Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono East and Bono region with the aim of generating
information on village-based Turkey utilization, management practices, opportunities,
and challenges, to identify, characterize and describe the phenotypic variation of
indigenous Turkey populations. Questionnaires and interviews were used for the study.
Twenty-four towns/villages (6 from each region) were sampled at random and 154
Turkey farmers were randomly selected from these towns/village. Descriptive statistics
such as mean, range, frequency and percentage was used to analyse the data from the
survey. The results of this study showed that the majority of the respondents were
females (79 %). This showed that most of the time the women, either in male-headed or
female-headed family circles are responsible for poultry rearing, while the men are
responsible for crop cultivation and other off-farm activities. Majority (92 %) of the
respondents gave supplementary feed to their Turkeys. Night shelter was provided by
almost all farmers in a separate shed purpose-made for Turkeys (51 %). Majority of the
farmers provided shelter for their Turkeys. Experiment two was conducted to assess the
effects of variety, region, and sex on body measurements and phenotypic correlations
between various body measurements were estimated. Three hundred indigenous Turkeys
from the Ashanti, Ahafo, and Bono and Bono East region of Ghana were randomly
sampled. The average age for Turkeys used in this study was 6-7 months old. Colour
varieties Frequencies were computed. Five colour varieties were identified: White,
Bronze, Black, Black, White and Buff. The largest representation was the Black colour
variety (39 %). The least represented were the Buff (6 %) and Bronze (7 %). The overall
mean body weights for the five colour varieties were: White (4.792±0.201 kg), Black
(4.744±0.112 kg), Bronze (4.783±0.284 kg), Black & white (4.547±0.113) and Buff
University of Education,Winneba http://ir.uew.edu.ghxvi
(5.059±0.292 kg). Turkeys from the Bono East region had much higher body weights
than Turkeys from Ashanti, Bono and Ahafo regions. Cases of genotype-environment
interaction were observed. The effect of Sex and Region was a highly significant
(p<0.05) source of variation for most of the traits. There were positive moderate to high
correlation between the various body measurements. The highest correlation (P <0.05)
with body weight, ranging from 0.69 for head length to 0.96 for the wing length. Turkey
production is a profitable and promising venture based on cash generated after sale of the
Turkeys. In conclusion, despite the factors limiting Turkey production as outlined by the
respondents, turkey production has great potential in bridging the animal protein supply
therefore, poultry farmers should be encouraged by government to increase their level of
production by establishing reliable breeding centres in the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and
Bono East Region which will ensure regular supply of day old poult, prompt disease
control by employing of more veterinarians and provide soft loans to farmers
Description:
A THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
EDUCATION, FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE EDUCATION, SUBMITTED
TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF
MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY
(ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS)
IN THE UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION, WINNEBA