CONSERVATION AND STUDY OF TURKEY BIODIVERSITY

Abstract

One of the trends in the modern livestock rearing is the reduction of genetic resources.  The priority of conserving the species diversity of animals and birds with a view to the sus-tainable development of animal husbandry in different ecosystems is confirmed by an interna-tional convention. In conservation programs, great importance is given to the study of genetic, adaptive and productive qualities. In this regard, the main purpose of the research was a com-parative productivity evaluation in six turkey breeds of the gene pool farm in SGC of  “SKZOSP’ (the village of Obilnoye, Georgievsky district of the Stavropol Territory) and a new gene pool of Red and Blue turkey populations. The breed gene pool is registered as a center for collec-tive use of the “Bioresource Collection” (CCU BRC), which at the beginning of 2018 is rep-resented by 3,640 individuals including 2,810 female turkeys.

It was established that among the studied breeds, the best egg production per the initial and middle turkey hen for the 20 weeks of the productive period was observed in the North Caucasian Silver turkey breed: 50,33 and 64,10 eggs, respectively, at an intensity of 45,19%. In turkeys of the new gene pool, this index was large in Blue turkeys, 49,32 and 59,28 eggs per initial and middle turkey layer, respectively. For the first time, the conducted morphological and biochemical analysis of incubation eggs revealed that the highest egg weight was characterized by North Caucasian White turkey breed (82,7 g), the highest value of Haugh units and the shape index was  characterized by Uzbek Buff breed (83,6; 69,3%, respectively). The highest content of A and B₂ vitamins was in the egg yolk of the Tikhoretskaya Black breed.

Some morphological and biochemical blood parameters in turkeys of the new gene pool were studied. A high level of indices characterizing the redox and protective functions of the blood has been established.

 Comprehensive studies allowed the development of passports forms and question-naires for the gene pool herd of turkeys to reflect in them the most important information about the productive and interior indices of each of the breeds. The system analysis of such information is important for selection and breeding work organization, as well as the conser-vation and rational use of turkeys from the gene pool of the Bioresource collection.