Growth rate and abdominal fat of game-type pheasants reared in aviaries or in confinement

Abstract

Day-old pheasants from the same parental population were reared to 22 weeks of age either in cultivated aviaries or in a standard chicken house. Aviary reared birds were heavier from 10 weeks onwards, with better apparent feed conversion and higher abdominal fat index. Abdominal fat deposits dramatically increased with age and presented high correlation coefficients with body weight. An age of 17 weeks appeared to be a good compromise to obtain a light body weight (1.4 kg for males, 1.0 for females) and a lean carcasse.