Effect of Floor Density and Feeding System on The Weights of Bursa of Fabricius and Spleen as Well as the Plasma Triiodothyronine Level of Bayang Duck

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of floor density and feeding system on the weight of bursa of Fabricius and spleen as well as the plasma Triiodothyronine level of Bayang Duck. Objective of the experiment was to know the effect of floor density and feeding system on the weights of bursa of Fabricius and spleen as well as the plasma triiodothyronine level in the Ducks. As animal materials in the experiment were used Bayang Ducks, a localized kind of domestic water poultry. Bayang Ducks have been being reared traditionally by small farmers in District Pesisir Selatan of The Province of West Sumatera-Indonesia. In amount of 80 ducks treated since they were 2 weeks age and average body weight 135±0.39g until finishing of six weeks experimental period. The experiment was arranged into Split Plot Design in CRD with factors Floor density D1 0.48 sq m/duck, D2 0.08 sq m/duck and feeding systems F1 ration and F2 free choice. Every treatment had five replications and every experimental unit consisted of four ducks. The measured variables were relative weight of bursa of Fabricius and spleen as well as level of triiodothyronine in blood plasma. Data were analyzed statistically with Split Plot Design in CRD. The experiment resulted in that the relative weight of bursa of Fabricius as well as spleen and the level of plasma triiodothyronine (T3) as D1 and F1 effects significantly higher than that of S2 and F2 respectively.