Evaluating the carcass value of male pheasants in selected and non-selected population

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the targeted selection of common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) intended to result in a higher body weight at the age of 7 weeks on selected carcass traits in intensively fattened male pheasants. The average live body weight of the male pheasants at the end of 100 day fattening was 1 048.1 and 996.8 g for selected and non-selected population, respectively (P = 0.059). When carcass value was evaluated, we found that male pheasants from selected group showed a higher weight of carcass, unskinned thigh, skinned thigh, skinned neck, heart and liver as compared to males in the control group (P < 0.01). Selected male pheasants also showed a significantly higher gizzard weight than males in the control group (P < 0.05). However, the comparison of carcass yield and individual yields of carcass traits revealed that targeted selection resulted in a significant difference for heart weight only (P < 0.01).