ABSTRACT:A total of 300 eggs from 45 female quails from three different lines (Dark brown, light brown and white) aged 10 weeks old were equally divided into three experimental groups having 15 birds of each and caged separately, to estimate the external and internal egg quality traits. Half eggs were measured 24 hrs. post lay and others were measured after one week of storage at room temperature. The results showed that there were significant differences among lines for egg length, yolk height, yolk index, albumen diameter, albumen index and Haugh unit. The light brown line resulted in the best quality. All internal egg quality characters and egg length were differed significantly between fresh and storage eggs. The fresh eggs resulted in better quality than stored eggs. Phenotypic correlation appeared that there were significant correlation coefficients between some egg quality characteristics in dark brown line more than light brown and white lines.

Fish and soybean meal are known as common utilized crude protein sources in poultry diets. Quail birds often need higher requirements of dietary protein which influences its productive performance. The aim of the experiment is to determine the impact of protein source with different levels on egg production and egg quality characteristics. The experiment was carried out at animal production dept., University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region- Iraq, during spring 2020 for 56 days. The birds were divided into two main groups (fish meal and soybean meal) with three levels of crude protein (CP) as sub groups (20%, 23% and 26%). At 35 days of age, 240 quails were sexed and distributed on wire cages as four replications for each protein level within each group (treatment) as family (8 pullets with 2 cocks). The investigated characters were; Egg weight (EW), egg number (EN), egg mass (EM), egg quality characteristics (shape index, high, weight and diameter of both, yolk and albumen, egg shell thickness and weight and Haugh units); feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), hatchability and fertility percentage. The main results were as follows; EW, EM and most of egg quality characteristics did not show significant difference (P>0.05) either by source of protein or its levels; also, FI and FCR did not differ significantly (P>0.05) by the effect of protein source; while EN, FI and FCR were affected significantly (P≤0.05) by CP level. To conclude, there was no obvious trend for the effect of both CP source and level on early egg yield and egg quality in J. quail.

No abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of season of calving on performance of Bunaji calves for 2014 and 2015 wet and dry seasons calving. Secondary data for 2014 and 2015 calving records were used. In 2014, a total of 100 calves were used for the study from which 30 were male and 30 were female in the wet season calving. In the dry season calving, 20 were male and 20 were female. In 2015, a total of 56 calves from which 16 were male and 16 were female calves in the wet season and 12 were male while 12 were female in the dry season. Records of data collected on birth, weaning and yearling weights were subjected to statistical analysis. The results for calves' birth and yearling weights for wet season calving were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those that were calved in the dry season. The result for weaning weight of dry season calving was significantly (P<0.05) higher than for calves that were weaned in wet season. The results of birth, weaning and yearling weights of male calves were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of female calves. Interaction effect showed that the weaning weight of calves calved in 2015 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than calves calved in 2014. It was concluded that breeding of cows to calve during wet season is a substantive plan as there are availability of green forages and browse plants of higher quantity and quality. It can be concluded in this study that breeding of cows to calve in the dry season needed supplementation of feed with concentrate, improved hay and silage         L'étude a été menée pour déterminer l'effet de la saison de vêlage sur la performance des veaux Bunaji pour le vêlage des saisons humides et sèches 2014 et 2015. Les données secondaires des fiches de vêlage de 2014 et 2015 ont été utilisées. En 2014, un total de 100 veaux ont été utilisés pour l'étude dont 30 étaient des mâles et 30 étaient des femelles dans le vêlage de la saison des pluies. Lors des vêlages de saison sèche, 20 étaient des mâles et 20 des femelles. En 2015, un total de 56 veaux dont 16 mâles et 16 femelles en saison humide et 12 mâles et 12 femelles en saison sèche. Les enregistrements des données recueillies sur le poids à la naissance, au sevrage et à l'âge d'un an ont fait l'objet d'une analyse statistique. Les résultats pour le poids des veaux à la naissance et d'un an pour le vêlage en saison humide étaient significativement (P < 0,05) supérieurs à ceux qui ont été vêlés en saison sèche. Le résultat pour le poids au sevrage des vêlages en saison sèche était significativement (P<0,05) supérieur à celui des veaux sevrés en saison humide. Les résultats de poids à la naissance, au sevrage et à un an des veaux mâles étaient significativement (P<0,05) supérieurs à ceux des veaux femelles. L'effet d'interaction a montré que le poids au sevrage des veaux vêlés en 2015 était significativement (P<0,05) supérieur à celui des veaux vêlés en 2014. Il a été conclu que l'élevage de vaches pour vêler pendant la saison des pluies est un plan substantiel car il existe une disponibilité de fourrages verts et de plantes à brouter en plus grande quantité et qualité. Il peut être concludans cette étude que l'élevage des vaches pour vêler en saison sèche nécessitait une supplémentation en aliments concentrés, en foin amélioré et en ensilage

The fish meal and soybean meal are the most used protein sources in poultry rations, especially in quail birds due to their higher requirements of crude protein that affecting their growth rate. The objective was to investigate the effect of source of dietary protein and its levels on growth traits, carcass characteristics and some blood parameters. This study was conducted at poultry farm in Duhok city/College of agricultural engineering sciences/Animal production Department/ Kurdistan Region- Iraq, 2020. A total of 360 one-day unsexed chicks of J. quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) were divided equally into two groups (treatments) according to protein source (fishmeal and soybean meal groups), each group involved three levels of crude protein (20, 23 and 26 % CP), and each level had three replicates. The birds distributed randomly on the cages which contained 20 birds / replicate. The main results were as follow; fishmeal source of diet protein surpassed significantly soybean in live body weight (LBW), weight gain (WG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and carcass characteristics. The level of 26 % crude protein (CP) in the diet recorded the best LBW, WG and FCR; while the level of 23 % CP surpassed both 20 % and 26 % in mortality rate and carcass dissections. However, total protein, hemoglobin and albumen parameters in the blood were not affected significantly (p>0.05) neither by protein source nor by its levels in the quail rations. As conclusion, fish meal was better than soybean meal; and 26 % CP was the best level.