BODY WEIGHT AND SOME BIOMETRICAL TRAITS OF GREY PARTRIDGES (PERDIX PERDIX) AT DIFFERENT AGES

H. Kontecka, B. Kolanos, M. T. Gorecki, S. Krystianiak, S. Nowaczewski

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the body weights, wing lengths, wingspans, tarsus lengths and third toe lengths of captive grey partridges, aged 3-15 weeks. The study was carried out on 61 birds (32 males and 29 females). They were measured on their 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th and 15th weeks of life. With the exception of the wing length measured on the third week, all the remaining traits measured at any age did not differ significantly between sexes. In any studied periods, no significant intersexual differences appeared in the absolute gains of the majority of traits. Values of body weight, wing length, wing span and tarsus length, noted on the third week, correlated significantly with all the later measurements of the given trait. Thus, body weight and some biometrical traits of grey partridge chicks, measured on the third week of life, could already be applied as predictors of future body weight and size.

Keywords: body weight gain; Galliformes; Phasianidae; tarsus length; toe length; wing length

Date published: 2017-10-10