Analysis of fattening performance and carcass value indicators of the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L.)

This work provides insights into the growth performance of the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L.) from the time of hatching until the age of 118 days and of carcass characteristics and the characteristics of edible organs and tissues in pullets and cockerels at the end of the fattening period. Results have demonstrated that the highest weight gains (12 g/day) occur in pheasant chicks between their 40th and 80th days of age, where a high significant difference (P ≤ 0.01) between genders was found in the final live weight, carcass weight, and weight of the neck, heart, liver, stomach, skinned and unskinned thighs, upper thighs, lower thighs, muscles of the lower and upper thighs. Statistically highly significant gender-based differences (P ≤ 0.01) were found in the carcass yield and in the yields of neck, heart, skinned breast muscles, skinned thighs, lower thighs and lower thigh muscles.