Body Confirmation Traits and Internal Organs of Sexed Japanese Quail at Different Ages
Hafiz Muhammad Ishaq
Abdullah Department of Livestock & Poultry Production, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Bahauddin Zakariya
University, Multan, Pakistan
Body confirmation traits and internal organs of sexed Japanese quail at different ages Body confirmation
traits are important to access the meat yield in poultry. Additionally, some internal organs of poultry species are
considered edible and preferred among selected segments of society even at higher prices. Present study was
conducted at Department of Livestock & Poultry Production, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, to evaluate
the body confirmation traits and internal organs in 4-6 weeks old male and females Japanese quail. For this, 240
newly hatched Japanese quail chicks were placed in 24 experimental units (four units/treatment) according to 3×2
randomized complete block design. Each experimental unit had 10 birds. The birds had free access to clean and
fresh drinking water all the times and were fed ad-libitum. From 4th week onward, (two male and female each) from
each replicate were picked up at random and were kept off feed for six hours prior to slaughter as feed withdrawal
period. The birds were individually weighed prior to slaughter and the internal organs were also weighed separately
to record the live weight, slaughter weight, dressing%, liver weight, heart weight and empty gizzard weight. The
results showed that the mean slaughter weight of male and female quails was significantly different (P≤0.05) at
week 4, 5 and 6. The dressing% differed nonsignificantly (P>0.05) in all the weeks except in males at week-5. The
keel length was found non-significantly different (P>0.05) in all the weeks except in female quails at week-5.
However, shank length remained non-significant (P>0.05) in all the weeks except in 5 week old female quails. Liver
weight (g) was found to be significantly higher (P≤0.05) in females at 4 th week. Significantly higher (P≤0.05) mean
heart weight was observed at 4th week of age in male birds, while, at 5th and 6th weeks in females. The weight of
mean empty gizzard in males was significantly higher (P≤0.05) in 5th week than 4th week. It was concluded that age
has more pronounced effect on body conformation traits and female quails have more developed internal organs
than female quails.