Correlation Between Egg Weight and Egg Characteristics in Japanese Quail

Abstract

A study was undertaken to predict the correlation between egg weight and egg characteristics in quail. Data was collected on 102 eggs collected from female quails at 28 weeks. Eggs were numbered, weighed and classified into six egg weight groups: below 9.0g, 9.0-9.5g, 9.6-10.0g, 10.1-10.5g, 10.6-11.0g, and above 11g group. There were 17 eggs per egg weight group. Data was collected on egg weight, shell weight, shell ratio, albumen height, albumen weight, albumen ratio, albumen index, yolk height, yolk diameter, yolk weight, yolk ratio and Haugh Unit. Data collected were analysed using the General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of the Genstat edition 11. The correlation between the various characteristics of egg were determined. The result shows that Albumen diameter, albumen length and albumen width were influenced by size of egg (p 0.05) influenced by the sizes of quail eggs. The egg sizes of above 11g had the best egg length followed by 10.6g-11.0g, 10.1g-10.5g, 9.6g-10.5g, 9.0g-9.5g and below 9.0 g had the least egg length indicating a direct relationship between egg length and egg weight. The positive correlations between the internal and external egg quality traits indicated that the traits can be improved through selection.