EFFECT OF UROPYGIALACTOMY AT DIFFERENT AGES ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKS

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Poultry farm, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad, from 10 Apr. to 28th May. 2002. The aim of the present study was to investigate the influence of uropygialctomy at different ages on the productive performance of broiler and to determinate the optimum age to perform this operation. A total of 990 unsexed broiler chicks, one day old, were randomly allocated into 6 treatment groups. Chicks in each group were subdivided into three replicate (55 chicks/ replicate). Chicks in the first five treatment groups were subjected to surgical removal of uropygial gland at 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 days old respectively, while the chicks in 6th group were remained as control. Results revealed that all treatments were significantly (P<0.01) improved final body weight compared with control group. Treatments of uropygialctomy at 21 and 14 days old had the best final body weight that was 1555.4 gm and 1471.9 gm respectively, while the final body weight of the control group was 1375.1 gm. The treatments of uropygialctomy at 21 and 14 days old had the maximum additive feed consumption, while the rest treatments had no significant differences compared with control group. It was concluded from this study that the best results that concern the productive performance of broiler was results from the treatments of uropygialctomy at 21 and 14 days old. So the uropygialctomy led to significantly improve in the productive performance of broiler, and the optimum age to perform this operation was 14-21 days old.