Effect of Housing System on Japanese Quail Performance

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of two different housing systems; floor pens vs. battery cages on productive traits in Japanese quail. Three hundred, one day old chicks were individually weighed and randomly divided into two equal experimental groups according to housing system (150 birds in each group), each group was randomly assigned to three replicates. Body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and mortality rates were recorded weekly during the first experimental period. At the end of the growing period slaughter test was carried out to estimate carcass quality characteristics. Feed intake , feed conversion ratio and mortality rates were recorded. The dressed carcass, heart, liver, head and gizzard were weighed. The pooled weight of heart, liver, gizzard, and edible meat were designated as total edible meat (TEM). Using floor pens improved Gizzard weight, and gizzard percentage values compared to battery cages. Egg production, and egg quality traits, were estimated during the second experimental period. It was concluded that housing system had no significant effect on productive most traits of Japanese quails. Using floor pens improved gizzard weight, gizzard percentage, egg yolk weight and egg yolk percentage values of floor pen reared quails compared to battery cages. It was concluded that housing system had no significant effect on most of productive traits of Japanese quail

Comparative study on the hygienic, production and economic indices of Japanese quails reared on floor and cage systems.

“…Our findings indicated insignificant difference between FS and CS on livability, and mortality percentages. These results were in accordance with (Badawi, 2017). Economic analysis revealed that, rearing quails on FS had higher Feed cost, TVC, and total cost than those reared on CS.…”

“…The TR and cost of each kg body weight from feed was significantly higher in FS than CS. While NP, GM, BCR, ROI, NP/BW, and NP/BWG were non-significantly higher in CS than FS, this could be due to the non-significance increase in BW in FS than CS, this result was in agreement with (Badawi, 2017), and increasing feed cost in FS than CS, a finding that was in agreement with (Abo Ghanima et al, 2020).…”

“…The results of immunoglobulins were in agreement with (Darwish et al, 2017) In the current study, we found that LBW was not significantly different between quails reared on both systems at end of rearing period. The weekly body weight gain (3 rd -4 th , 4 th -5 th , and5 th -6 th week), and total body weight gain were not significantly different between the two systems; a result that was in accordance with (Badawi, 2017). However, the results disagreed with (Razee et al, 2016), who discovered that quails raised in battery cages had much larger final body weight than those raised in a floor pen The total feed consumption by quails reared on FS was significantly higher than those reared on CS.…”

“…Concerning carcass traits (dressing, liver, heart, and kidney percentages) (table 3) there were no significant differences between quails reared in the two different systems. The results displayed in Table (4) showed a significant increase in feed cost (5.77 and 5.13 LE), total variable cost (11.07 and 9.83 LE),and total cost (12.10 and 11.09 LE)for Japanese quails reared on FS than those reared on CS, respectively. On the other hand, TR was not significantly higher in FS than CS, while, NP, GM, BCR, and ROI, NP/BW, and NP/BWG were not significantly higher in CS than FS.…”

Effect of Pure Corn Oil on Growth Performance of Japanese Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

“…Like chickens, Japanese quails are also related to the Galliformem order and the Phasinidae family (Haqani et al, 2023). The first egg lines were developed by selecting the Japanese quail at the beginning of 1920 when intensive production of the Japanese quail began (Badawi, 2017). Following this, Japanese quails were transported to West Asia, Europe, and America, where extensive research has been conducted on these birds as an avian research model (Minvielle, 2004).…”