Effect of Light and Drugs in Controlling Egg Production of Turkeys

DEVELOPMENT of a refractory condition leading to failure of the junco to produce eggs in an environment of long light days was observed by Wolfson (1952). A similar inability of turkey females to respond in egg production when exposed to long light days was reported by Harper and Parker (1957, 1960, 1962), Clayton and Robertson (1960), McCartney et al. (1961), Leighton and Shoffner (1961a, b, 1964), Wilson et al. (1962) Shoffner and Leighton (1962), Shoffner et al. (1962), Marsden et al. (1962), Ogasawara et al. (1962), and Wolford et al. (1963). In the above research control of the photoperiod to reduce light exposure prior to sexual maturity of turkey females was effective in terminating refractoriness. While the above experiments demonstrated a method of improving year around egg production of turkeys through a controlled light environment, it necessitated adequate buildings. The use of hormones to terminate refractoriness in turkey females hatched…