Range and confinement rearing of four genetic lines of turkeys. 1. Effects on growth, mortality, and walking ability.

Line by environment interactions complicate interpretation of results from long-term selection experiments. To investigate the potential effects of such interactions, a study was conducted in which birds from four genetic lines were reared in two environments. Birds from four turkey lines were brooded in confinement housing. At 8 wk of age, half of the birds from each full-sib family were moved to a large range pen and the remainder were placed in a large confinement pen. Significant line by environment interactions were present only for walking ability scores of males. A general lack of significant line by environment interactions indicates that rearing environment of these lines may be altered without affecting interpretation of results from a selection experiment. In addition, the current randombred control lines continue to adequately serve as control populations for a long-term selection experiment.