“POINTED-END” AND “BLUNTED-END” EGG SHAPE BIASED SEX OF JAPANESE QUAILS AT NATIONAL VETERINARY RESEARCH INSTITUTE, VOM

Abstract

Following sex determination at about 3 to 6 weeks old in Japanese quail, several undesired growers are often culled from the convoy. Thus, it becomes pertinent to predetermine only the desired sex during egg incubation. Many techniques and ideas have been developed to identify Japanese quail sex at day old but to no avail. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the claims and speculations by many Nigerian traditions and beliefs that “pointed-end” and “blunted-end” eggs produce male and female hatchlings respectively in poultry species. To achieve this, a total of 1,100 Japanese quail eggs were carefully sorted and distributed based on the shape into 550 “pointed-end” eggs and 550 “blunted-end” eggs. Data were
collected on incubation period, hatchability and sex ratio. In the “pointed-end” eggs, incubation period was between 17 and 18 days, hatchability was 50.7% and more cocks (207) representing 74.2% compared to only 72 hens (representing 25.8%) were recorded with a sex ratio of 1 hen: 2.9 cocks. Whereas, among the “blunted-end” eggs, chicks emerged on the 18th day of incubation, 59.5% hatchability was observed and more hens (238 representing 72.8%) relative to 89 cocks representing 27.2% were recorded with a sex ratio of 2.7 hens: 1 cock. Consequently, the claims and speculations by many Nigerian traditions and beliefs that egg shape could determine the sex of poultry species appeared to be correct. At the moment, in-depth research findings are required, to elucidate this preliminary finding before its adoption.