Reproductive performance of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in Malaysia

C. P. Seet

Abstract

A group of female Japanese quail was maintained for the evaluation of their laying performance. The age of quail at the point of lay was 37 days. The egg production from 7 to 82 weeks of age was 65.3% and an average of 347.2 eggs/ quail were produced. Average egg weight was 11.7 g and 4.1 kg egg mass was obtained. A feed conversion of 4.5 was achieved. When the quail were mass mated, the fertility and hatchability of total eggs set for the 1:1 and 1:2 ratio groups were 87.1, 62.7% and 88.8, 63.2% respectively. These results were better than those from 1:6 ratio group where the corresponding values were 79.4 and 50.6%. However, all mating ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:4 and 1:6) did not have significant effects on both the reproductive traits when the quail were individually mated. Between the two mating procedures, the fertility and hatchability of total eggs set from the 1:4 and 1:6 mating groups of the individual mating was significantly better than those when mass mated. Overall resuls, irrespective of mating ratios, indicated that the hatchability was significantly (p < 0.01) better for the eggs from the individual mating. Analysis of mating ratio, irrespective of mating procedures, indicated that a sex ratio of 1 male to 2 females definitely improved fertility signihcantly over the other ratios studied and the use of individual mating rather than mass mating could lead to improved production of quailings from the fertile eggs.

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