Genetic effects on embryonic growth in domestic turkeys.

Embryo growth rates for two strain crosses of domestic turkeys were compared. Female parents of both crosses came from the same flock of Nicholas parent stock hens. The strain providing sires for Cross L was approximately twice the adult size of the strain providing sires for Cross S. Egg weight was correlated with late embryo weight (starting by 20 days of incubation), poult weight at hatch, and carcass weight (i.e., yolk sac removed) at hatch. When analyses of covariance were done to remove the effects of egg weight, no significant cross differences were found between embryo weights at 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 days of incubation, poult weight at hatch, and carcass weight. No significant sex differences were found between poult weights or carcass weights at hatch.