EVALUATION OF THE GROWTH AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JAPANESE QUAIL (Coturnix conturnix japonica) IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Two experiments were designed to study the growth and carcass characteristics and the effects of system of management on the Japanese quail. In the first experiment, 138 birds raised to 8 weeks of were used to study the growth and carcass characteristics of quails. Day old weight averaged 8.67 -0.75y while body weights at 4 and 8 weeks of age were 130.38-21.81g and 175.08€ 21.23g respectively. Feed conversion rate to 8 weeks was 6.42 with each bird consuming 1067.68g feed. No significant sex differences (P>0.05) were observed in the average yield of parts although the males had slightly higher dressed and eviscerated weights and percent wing, back and neck than females. Dressed weight was 93.55% on the average while eviscerated weight was 68.61%. The carcass contained 74.20% moisture, 69.63%CP and 26.5% fat. In the second experiment, 120 birds were used to test the effect of management system (floor vs. cage) on growth and carcass characteristic of the quail. Although floor rearing had a slight advantage over cage rearing in terms of weight gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass yield, the differences were not significant (P>0.05).