title: Comparative development of the small intestine in the turkey poult and Pekin duckling.
abstract: Turkey poults and Pekin ducklings hatch from eggs of similar weights and have the same incubation periods and body weights at hatch. The male Pekin duckling, however, can attain a market weight of 3.2 kg in approximately 6 wk, whereas at the same age, male turkeys only weigh approximately 2.1 kg. For this study, fertile turkey eggs (n = 400, mean weight: 87.2 g, range: 85 to 89.9 g) and Pekin duck eggs (n = 565, mean weight: 88.6 g, range: 85 to 92.0 g) were weighed and incubated. Embryos and hatchlings were sampled during the last week of incubation, at hatch, and through 7 d of age. Yolk-free BW of poults were 2.7 g heavier than ducklings at hatch. Yolk-free BW of ducklings, however, were greater than poults at 1 d of age (P > or = 0.06), and by 7 d of age ducklings were 140 g heavier (P < or = 0.01). Yolk sac weight was similar at 21 and 25 d of incubation, yet was significantly lower in ducks at hatch, 1, and 2 d of age (P < or = 0.05). In the duckling, jejunum and ileum weights (3.7x heavier), length (1.6x longer), and density (g/cm; 2.3x more dense) were consistently heavier than in the turkey from hatch through 7 d (P < or = 0.01). Histological sections of the distal jejunum revealed more rapid villus growth in the duck from 0 to 3 d of age. The combination of increased intestinal growth (weight and length) and maturation (villus length) allowed ducks to achieve an additional 143 g of BW gain during the critical hatch through 7 d of growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA. applegt@purdue.edu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Applegate
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Karcher
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lilburn
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D004372:Ducks / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007082:Ileum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000254:growth & development*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors; D014422:Turkeys / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development*; D015430:Weight Gain; D015017:Yolk Sac / Q000033:anatomy & histology