Abstract

CIGARROA-VAZQUEZ, Francisco et al. Phenotypic characterization of the indigenous turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) and production system in the north-central region of Chiapas, México. Agrociencia [online]. 2013, vol.47, n.6, pp.579-591. ISSN 2521-9766.

The turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a poultry species which is part of ancestral heritage of Mexico, with genotypes adapted to different climates and small-scale production systems and wide rural acceptance. Due to the limited information about this species, a study was conducted in the north-central region of the state of Chiapas to characterize the production system through a survey in 52 rural production units (PU) and a morphological evaluation in 212 indigenous turkeys (IT). The information included socio-economic aspects of the producers, IT general management, costs and production destination. The variables for IT were live weight, plumage color and measurements of neck, head, body and legs. Statistical analysis of the data included descriptive statistics estimate and multivariate parameters of principal components (PC). Age, experience and producer education, animal age at onset of lay and egg production allow clustering the production systems in four PC which accounted for 74.5 % of total variability, and 74.4 % of total variance of morphological characteristics of IT was explained by four PC. The variables to cluster the IT types were height and weight, dorsum length and breast perimeter, predominating black plumage color, both pure and combined with white and brown.

Keywords : Meleagris gallopavo; production system; morphometrics.

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