PERTANIKA JOURNAL OF TROPICAL AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

A regression model for estimate of body weight (BW) through body metric traits of Nigerian locally adapted turkeys using path analysis was developed. A total of 150 comprising 86 Lavender and 64 White plumages of both sexes were used. The body weight and five body metric traits which are the thigh length (TH), Keel length (KL), Shank length (SL), Breast girth (BG), Wing length (WL), Wing span (WS) and Body length (BL) were measured and analysed. Sex and genotype had significant effect on the body weight (Lavender: Male 565.26±36.79 g, Female 543.61±53.74 g; White: Male 629.06±46.21 g, Female 394.54±63.40 g) at 8 weeks of age. Pearson's correlations results between body weight and TH, KL, SL, BG, WL, WS as well as BL in both sexes indicated positive and highly correlation. However, Path analysis indicated that BL (path coefficient = 0.560; p < 0.05) only had positive and significant direct influence on the male body weights. In female turkeys, direct influence of other biometric traits was not significant on body weight. Also, KL (path coefficient = 0.497; p < 0.05) had the highest positive and significant direct influence on the body weight closely trailed by the BL (path coefficient = 0.391; p < 0.01). The KL via BL (R2= 0.18) had the highest influence on the female body weight. The other biometric traits had non-significant direct influence. TH had the utmost input to the body weight of the male turkeys via BL (R2= 0.065). Thus, selecting and improving BL for males; KL and BL for females will contribute positively to the BW of Nigerian locally adapted turkeys.