Comparative study of hatchability rate and egg quality between different strains of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine morphology of Japanese quail strains andhatchability rate and egg quality between commercial strain which is Poultry Progress Institute(IKTA) strain and White Texas strains of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) rear in Malaysia. Atotal of 300 quails were randomly picked and the breastbone length, chest girth, body weight,body length, shank length and drum length were measured for the morphology. Then, 270 eggs ofCommercial and White Texas strains were used to test the hatchability rate (n=150) and eggquality (n=120). The ratio of the parents of the quails between male and female of each type ofstrain were 1:3. The cleanliness, shape, weight, and texture of the eggshell were observed,weighed and measured. The eggs were incubated for 17 days (37.6 °C, 65% humidity). The shapeindex, egg weight, egg volume and eggshell surface were weighed and measured for the exteriortrait of eggs. For interior trait, the albumen index, Haugh units, and internal quality units (IQU)were measured. Significant findings were observed in all of the features (P<0.05), except for thewing length in morphology. For hatchability rate, there was a high significant in the percentage ofhatchability of incubated eggs, hatchability of fertile eggs and smoothness texture of the eggshell.In egg quality there was high significant in Haugh unit but low significant internal quality unit.The significant variability might be due from the genetic information that inherited from theparents. The IKTA and White strains were not the same in morphology, hatchability rate andinterior trait of eggs but same exterior trait of eggs. In conclusion, this research is important ingiving information about Japanese quail strain in Malaysia and more genetic study should be donein the future to determine good strain and increase understanding about quail strain.