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WOS: 000334045600027, PubMed: 24570471, The current study was carried out to investigate the effects of breeder age on egg composition, changes of embryo, yolk sac, and yolk minerals during incubation and hatchability in Pekin ducks. A total of 495 freshly laid eggs were obtained from the same flock of Pekin ducks, aged 28, 34, and 40 wk, and were reared in accordance with the management guide of the duck breeders (Star 53-Grimaud Freres). At each breeder age, egg measurements were made on a random subsample of unincubated eggs. Embryo and yolk sac measurements were made on embryonic day (E) 12, E16, E20, and E25. On d 28 of incubation, the healthy ducklings were removed and sex of chicks was determined. All chicks were weighed and hatching results were determined. Egg weight and yolk percentages increased; however, albumen percentages, shell thickness, and yolk index decreased as the flock aged. Shell percentages, shell breaking strength, albumen index, and haugh units were not affected by breeder age. Also, breeder age affected the Mg, P, K, Ca, Cu, and Zn levels in the yolk, except for Na level on day of setting, and breeder age affected the mineral consumed by embryo during incubation. However, on E25, the levels of examined minerals, except for P level in the yolk sac, were not statistically different in duck breeder age groups. Relative yolk sac and embryo weights of eggs obtained from different breeder ages varied from E16 to E25; however, embryo length was different in breeder age groups from E12 to E20. Hatching weight was affected by breeder age and sex. Hatching results were not different among breeder age groups. This study indicates that breeder age is important for some egg characteristics, relative yolk sac weight, some contents of minerals in the yolk, embryonic growth during incubation, and duckling weight.

The aim of this study was to determine morphological characteristics of tumbler pigeons in province of Ankara. The study was conducted with 199 pigeons (including 108 males and 91 female) reared in five different enterprises in 2011. Pigeons were examined in some morphological parameters (coat color, marking, head type, eye color, rough footed, the number of wing and tail flight feathers, typical feathering form on the head) and morphometric measurements (body weight and length, trunk length, wing span and length, tail length, thoracic perimeter, chest width and depth, head length and width, bill length and depth, tarsus diameter). The average body weights for male and female pigeons were found to be 328.49 and 314.75 g respectively. The effect of the age on the body length, wing span and length, tail length, beak depth and the effect of the gender on the body weight, body length, wing span and length, thoracic perimeter, chest width, head length and width, bill depth were found to be significant. In conclusion, the growth of the pigeon was completed until the end of the first year of the age while the feathers were continued to develop with grown old. The average of body weight and body morphometric characteristics in male groups was found to be higher than the females. In general body weight and body morphometric characteristics of Ankara Tumbler pigeons were found to be similar or slightly higher values than the other pigeon genotypes, Bu araştırma Ankara ilinde yetiştirilen taklacı güvercinlerin çeşitli morfolojik özelliklerinin belirlenmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma 2011 yılında 5 işletmede 108 erkek ve 91 dişi olmak üzere toplam 199 güvercin üzerinde yürütülmüştür. Güvercinlerde don, nişane, baş tipi, tepelilik, göz rengi, paçalılık, kanat ve kuyruk telek sayısı ile birlikte canlı ağırlık, vücut uzunluğu, gövde uzunluğu, kanat açıklığı ve uzunluğu, kuyruk uzunluğu, göğüs çevresi, göğüs genişliği ve derinliği, baş uzunluğu ve genişliği, gaga uzunluğu ve derinliği ile incik çapı ölçülmüştür. Ortalama canlı ağırlık erkek ve dişilerde sırasıyla 328,49 ve 314,75 g olarak bulunmuştur. Vücut uzunluğu, kanat açıklığı ve uzunluğu, kuyruk uzunluğu ve gaga derinliği bakımından yaşın; canlı ağırlık, vücut uzunluğu, kanat açıklığı ve uzunluğu, göğüs çevresi ve genişliği, baş uzunluğu ve genişliği ve gaga derinliği bakımından ise cinsiyetin etkisi önemli bulunmuştur. Sonuç olarak, Güvercinlerde büyümenin bir yaşa kadar tamamlandığı, teleklerin ise büyüme ile uzamaya devam ettiği görülmüştür. Canlı ağırlık ve vücut ölçüleri genel olarak erkeklerde yüksek; diğer güvercin genotiplerine göre ise benzer veya biraz yüksek olarak bulunmuştur