Characterization of backyard guajolotes (Meleagris gallopavo gallopavo) in tropical zones of Mexico

摘要

Withthepurposeofidentifyingthephenotypicflockcharacteristicsandmanagementsysteminthebackyardguajolotes(turkey)productionsystemintheCoastalregionofOaxaca,Mexico;atotalof768guajolotebreedersweresurveyedin54municipalities.nbsp;Theproducersaremainlypeasants,withproductiveunitsthathavedifferentbackyardspecies.Themostfrequentfeathercolorswerewhiteincombinationwithblack,andblack.Forty-nine%ofbreederusedasystemofpartialscavengingandnighttimehousing;57%usedsomekindofidentification.Partialscavenginginadditiontofoodsuppliedtothebirdsisacharacteristicofthisproductionsystem:50%ofthebreedersfeedthemmaizeanditsby-productsand22%feedthemfruits,.Foradultguajolotesthedailyintakewasestimatedat595g.Withregardtoreproduction,theproportionbetweenmalesandfemaleswas1:4;with2inseminations,priortonaturalincubation;thepubertyagewas9monthsold,with13eggsineachincubationcycle.Theoverallfertilitywas77%with85%hatchability;theincubationperiodwas30days.Eighty-nine%ofbreedersstorefertilizedeggspriortoincubation;66%checktheeggsforhatchabilityduringincubation,while87%havedevelopedsomekindofsexingtechniqueforpoults.Theguajolotesoftengetsickbecauseofthehightemperatureandrain.Themorefrequentclinicalsignsareataxia30%,dyspnea24%andanorexia21%;themostfrequentillnessisAvianPox(53%).nbsp;Traditionalmedicinemakesuseofdifferentregionalvegetables.Theageforsalewas1.2yearsold,withanaverageweightof9.4kgforaguajolotemaleand7.2kgforahen.Productioncostsofmalesandfemaleswere$74.6and$93USdollarsrespectively,whicharehigherthanthesaleprice;62%oftheproductionisdestinedforconsumptionand23%foropportunisticsales.DuringtraditionalbreedingofguajolotesinMexico,managementtechniqueshavebeendevelopedthataremoreapplicabletothepeasantfarmerconditions;however,itispossibletoadaptordevelopnewtechnologiestoimprovethegeneralproductioncharacteristics.