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A total of 6 wild turkeys Meleagris gallopavo silvestris Vieillot (3 males, 3 females) at 16 weeks of age were investigated after the species has been imported from Canada in the Hunting reserve of Trankovo, Stara Zagora region. The birds were reared in aviaries and occasionally, let free for hunting tourism. The birds were reared according to conditions adopted in the reserve, fed standard compound feeds according to their category. After 12-hour feed withdrawal, the birds were stunned and slaughtered. The slaughter analysis and meat chemical analysis were conducted at the Meat and meat products unit, Faculty of Agriculture, Trakia University -- Stara Zagora. After 24-hour cooling storage at 0-4 °C the carcasses (without the neck and edible offal) were cut up in commercial parts. Twelve slaughter parameters were determined after evisceration and weighing of internal organs: liver, gizzard, proventriculus, heart, intestines (g). They were used for calculation of slaughter yield. Samples of breast and thigh muscles were collected 24 hours after slaughter and prepared for determination of water, proteins, fat and ash content. Fatty acid composition of triglycerides red and white meat was determined. Triglyceride quantity and quality were assayed by gas chromatography with metal column with Supelcoport 100/200 mesh as stationary phase. The amino acid content was determined by ion-exchange column chromatography. Water holding capacity (WHC, %) was determined on the 24th h post slaughter on samples from m. Pectoralis superficialis, m. Pectoralis profundus and m. Femorotibialis. The slaughter analysis showed higher body weight and higher carcass weight in male birds, although the slaughter yield of female was higher than that in males turkeys 67.13% and 66.87% respectively (p>0.05). The differences in protein and fat content of breast and thigh meat in both turkey genders were not significant. The content of the essential amino acid methionine in the breast meat of wild turkeys was 2.61g in males and 2.50g in females. Lysine concentrations ranged between 9.58% and 9.69%. The eicosatrienoic omega-3 fatty acids was found only in the meat of male turkeys. Breast meat of female birds did not contain eicosatrienoic and arachidonic fatty acids. There were no differences in the content of macrominerals and trace elements in the meat of both genders wild turkeys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was performed in the Turkey Breeding Farm of the Agricultural Institute, Stara Zagora. The experimental birds were crosses of Turkey Layer Light (LL) at 36 weeks of age, used as maternal line, artificially inseminated with semen from Meat Heavy (MH) turkey gobblers. Turkey poults were reared up to 20 weeks of age using a traditional fattening production system. The birds were fed ad libitum with compound feeds according to their category and age. At 20 weeks of age, birds were slaughtered, and samples from breast muscles: m. Pectoralis superficialis, m. Pectoralis profundus and from the thigh muscles (m. Femorotibialis) were obtained. The chemical composition of turkey meat was analyzed -- water, proteins, fat, mineral substances and dry matter. Also, meat pH, water holding capacity (WHC %) and the colour of the three studied muscles were investigated. Meat pH was determined by the 24th post mortem hour. Then carcasses were cooled and stored in a refrigerator at 4 °C. WHC of meat and muscle colour were determined by the 24th post mortem hour. There were no statistically significant differences between the contents of main chemical substances of meat between the genders. Breast meat had a relatively higher protein and lower fat content than thigh meat. Statistically significant (P<0.05) is the content of protein in the females breast muscles 23.0% relatively 20.73% of the female thigh muscles. Low degree of reliability (P<0.05) is characterized the contents in males thigh muscles to the males breast muscles males. Breast meat in both genders had lower meat pH24 values compared to thigh meat. The values of the L* coordinate of breast meat were relatively lower than criteria for PSE turkey meat in both genders (L* ≥ 50). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was performed in 2011 in the breeder farm of the Hybrid Poultry Centre at the Institute of agriculture - Stara Zagora in order to determine the effect of the different preincubation storage periods on hatchability traits of turkey eggs and the changes in egg components. Eggs from light layer (LL) line of turkeys at the age of 38 weeks used as maternal side for turkey-broilers production were used. They were divided into the following groups: eggs stored for 14, 10, and 4 days as well as fresh eggs (without storage). The storage of eggs took place in an egg storehouse with constant air temperature and humidity (17°C and 72%). The loss of weight during the storage increased as the storage duration prolonged (ᵖ<0.001). During incubation, the highest weight loss percentage was exhibited by eggs stored for 10 days (14.29%) that was statistically significantly (ᵖ<0.001) different from weight loss of fresh eggs. which lost weight. The highest fertility (92.42%) was noted in fresh eggs. A very high early embryonic death rate was observed in eggs stored for 14 days (13.63%). The hatchability of fertile eggs was the highest in fresh eggs (90.77%) and the lowest in eggs stored for 14 days (71.45%) (ᵖ<0.001). The albumen percentage of total egg weight was the highest in fresh eggs (59.09%). The albumen pH increased with the storage duration and was the highest in eggs stored for 14 days (9.25). Albumen's height decreased as storage duration became longer. For incubation to be use turkeys eggs from LL line stored at least time at 72% humidity and 17°C, because hatchability decreases with increasing duration of storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the affect of hereditary musculoskeletal diseases (HMSD) to the blood serum parameters and enzyme activity in turkey parents from light laying and heavy meat breed, as well as the impact of conditions of environmental comfort and environmental stress on biochemical changes in turkey broilers. Muscular dystrophy expression was on the 80-th day, and on the 46-th day in parents and broiler, respectively. Data on the level of liver enzyme creatine kinase (CK) in the group of turkeys with HMCD showed a decrease compared with control group. The increase is observed in the change of the enzyme activity of aspartate aminotransferaze (ASAT) and alanine aminotransferaze (ALAT). In turkey broilers under the stress conditions, the changes of enzymes were more severe, instead of the lower rate of muscular dystrophy compared to parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was performed in the selection farm of the Agricultural Institute, Stara Zagora, "Poultry breeding and production technologies" section in 2008. Eggs produced by turkeys of the Heavy Meat (HM) strain at the age of 32 and 44 weeks were used. The incubation traits were studied on all newly-laid eggs with hatching potential. The early embryonic death rate (EED) was determined at first week of incubation at following defined periods: I - formation of embryonic disk (incubation days 0-3) and II - after formation of the embryonic disk (incubation days 4-7). The embryonic death was determined by examinations by Day 25 and by the time of placing eggs in the hatching chamber. The eggs of the Heavy Meat hybrid turkeys, aged 32 weeks, showed a higher fertilization rate - 91.92%, higher early embryonic death rates: 1.35% up to the 3rd day of incubation and 2.02% up to the 7th day, vs. 0.88% (up to day 3) and 0.88% (up to day 7) in eggs laid by turkeys aged 44 weeks. The hatchability of placed and fertilized eggs was higher for eggs from younger layers (age of 32 weeks) compared to those laid by turkeys at the age of 44 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]