MORPHOMETRIC AND BIOMECHANICAL PARAMETERS OF TIBIOTARSUS IN DIFFERENT STRAINS OF BROILERS

One hundred male and one hundred female broiler chicks from different strains : Master Gris, Red Bro, Farm Q and Hubbard Classic, were reared in conventional broler house system, during first three weeks After the third week, fattening was continued in an extensive free-range rering system. At the end of experimental period (91 days of age) 10 male and 10 female birds, of each stran, were killed by cervical dislocation and the right tibiotarsal bones were removed and used for morphological and mechanical analysis. The obtained results showed that there were statistically signifficant strain differences. Mass, length, breaking force, cross sectional area of diaphysis, medullary cavity area and cortical area, of tibiotarsal bone of Farm Q hybrid chicks were statistically signifficant lower than that of Hubbard Classic, Master Gris and Red Bro strains in both male and female chicks.