Poultry Products Technology

• Assertion (A) is True: Growing turkey poults have higher nutritional requirements than broiler chicks, requiring $28\%$ crude protein and $2900\text{ kcal/kg}$ metabolizable energy in starter rations.
• Reason (R) is True: Parthenogenesis (embryonic development from unfertilized eggs producing diploid male offspring) occurs naturally in Beltsville Small White and commercial turkeys (discovered by M. W. Olsen, 1960).
• Relationship: While both are true biological facts, parthenogenesis is unrelated to nutritional dietary energy requirements.

Correct option: (2) Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A).

• Incubation Periods Across Avian Species:
• Pigeon: $17\text{ days}$ ($17\text{--}19\text{ days}$).
• Comparative Incubation Periods:
• Chicken: $21\text{ days}$
• Japanese Quail: $17\text{ days}$
• Duck: $28\text{ days}$ (except Muscovy duck: $35\text{ days}$)
• Turkey: $28\text{ days}$
• Goose: $28\text{--}32\text{ days}$
• Ostrich: $42\text{ days}$

Correct option: (1) 17 days

• Zoological Classification of Ratites:
• Emu: Dromaius novaehollandiae (native flightless ratite of Australia).
• Other Ratites / Birds:
• Ostrich: Struthio camelus (largest living bird, native to Africa).
• Budgerigar: Melopsittacus undulatus.

Correct option: (3) Dromaius novaehollandiae