EGG PRODUCTION TRAITS OF THE JAPANESE QUAIL (Coturnix coturnix japonica) IN A SEMI-ARID AREA OF.....

At the University of Maiduguri Livestock Teaching and Research farm's poultry section, some parameters affecting egg production characteristics of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were investigated. The experiment lasted 52 weeks and used 300 Japanese quails. Egg number (P0.01), total egg weight, feed intake, hen-day and hen-housed egg production (P0.001) were all affected by the production system, however egg weight and FCR were not. Caged birds produced more eggs per week (4.73 vs. 4.17), weekly egg mass (43.29 vs. 37.67 g), feed intake/hen/day (23.24 vs. 21.51 g), and hen-day egg production (71.52 vs. 59.60 percent) than litter-raised birds. Except for egg weight and feed intake/hen/day, the dry cold and rainy seasons had superior values for all attributes. Except for feed intake, light brown quails exhibited higher values for all traits. Light brown quails produced 5.27 vs 4.63 eggs per week, 48.24 vs 42.30 g total egg mass, 9.19 vs 9.09 g average egg weight, 75.34 vs 70.43 percent hen-day egg production, and 4.04 vs 4.51 percent hen-day egg production (feed conversion ratio). Egg production attributes rose with hen weight, with hens weighing more than 180 g having the highest values and those weighing less than 140 g having the lowest. All egg production variables had a significant (P0.001) effect on flock age. Egg weight was also highest (9.24 g) in the age group > 40 and lowest (8.70 g) at the commencement of lay, showing that egg weight rose with age. Hen-day egg production, on the other hand, peaked at week 19 and began to fall at week 36, with a performance of more than 60% maintained until 48 weeks of age. Japanese quails can thus be retained for egg production for up to 48 weeks before being replaced.

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