BEAK TRIMMING OF TURKEYS .2. EFFECTS OF ARC BEAK TRIMMING ON WEIGHT-GAIN, FEED-INTAKE, FEED WASTAGE, AND FEED CONVERSION

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of are beak trimming on feed consumption, weight gain, and feed wastage in males and female s from two large-bodied strains and one medium-bodied strain of turkey s. Birds were placed in wire-floored battery cages from 3 to 8 wk of a ge and feed intake, weight gains, and feed spilled into dropping pans were recorded for each of the 5 wk of each trial. Feed conversion was calculated as feed consumed divided. by weight gained. Sex by beak tri mming interactions were not found. Beak trimming reduced feed wastage of the two large-bodied strains, but did not affect feed wastage of th e medium-bodied strain, which did not consume as much feed as the larg e-bodied strains. The results of this study support the hypothesis tha t beak trimming reduces feed wastage of large-bodied turkeys.