REPRODUCTIVE ASPECTS AND PERFORMANCE OF DIFFERENTS STRAINS OF JAPANESE QUAIL BREEDERS

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the performance and reproductive parameters of different genetics groups of Japanese quails with different initial weights. The experimental design was completely randomized, with a factorial 3 x 2 (three strains (UEM1, UEM2 and Commercial (COM)) and two weight classes (light and heavy), totaling six treatments. Was used with eight replications, totaling 48 plots. Each plot contained eight birds (two males and six females), with a total of 384 quails. The COM line presented higher live weight at six weeks of age, being UEM 1 and UEM 2 similar to each other. For age at first egg, the COM group equated EMU 1, with EMU 2 being later. For the variable age at 50% of egg production, the COM strain was earlier than the others. No effect of quail weight was observed on the age of the first egg. There was no interaction effect between strain and initial weight of the birds for any of the reproductive performance. Also, it can be observed that there was no difference between the genetic groups or initial body weight for egg production, when considered the period from six to 26 weeks of age. There was no difference between the genetic groups for feed intake during the 20-week period studied and there was no effect of the initial weight of production on this variable. For the results of the feed conversion index kg/eggs, it can be observed that the best results were presented by the groups of the EMU 1 and EMU 2 strains. It was possible to conclude that genetic improvement of Japanese laying quails requires better adjusts and that an unimproved commercial strain may present similar results to the improved lineages.

Key words: Coturnix coturnix japonica, fertile eggs, quail production