Multifunctional discriminant analysis of morphostructural traits in Nigerian locally adapted turkeys

Association among biometric traits and characterisation based on sexed-plumage colour of Nigerian locally adapted turkey were investigated using discriminant analysis. Eight morphometric traits were measured to study their phenotypic variations between two plumage colours (Lavender and White). The characters measured were body weight (BW) as well as body dimensions such as wing length (WL), wing span (WS), body length (BL), breast girth (BG), shank length (SL), thigh length (TL) and keel length (KL) taken at 12 weeks of age. The White male turkey was significantly (P < 0.05) heavier and had longer morphometric body traits than its female counterpart, but when compared with the Lavender male and female genotype, the traits did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). High positive and significant (P < 0.05) correlation coefficients were recorded among the various body traits. Coefficients of correlation in Lavender turkey ranged from 0.73 – 0.94, and 0.84 – 0.96 in the White turkey. The highest association with body weight in Lavender was body length (r = 0.80, P < 0.05), and the trio of BW, TL and KL had the stronger association for the White turkey (r = 0.91, P < 0.05). The first, second and third canonical variable or Fisher linear discriminant function explained 52.13 %, 37.48 % and 10.39 %, respectively, of the total variation. The distances between all pair wise were significant (P < 0.05). The greatest distance value (415.16) was between the White male and female turkeys, closely followed by the male White and female Lavender turkey (303.58), while the least distance was between the male and female Lavender. The distance between the populations was significant. It can be concluded that thigh length, breast girth, wing length, wing span and body length can serve as the most discriminating variables in distinguishing between White and Lavender populations.