Effects of age on organ weight and carcass characteristics of Japanese quail (Coturnix Japonica)
Keywords:
Age, Organ weight, Carcass, Japanese quailAbstract
The work was carried out to study the effect of age on organ weight and carcass characteristics of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica). The birds were housed in deep litter pen at the poultry unit of University of Maiduguri Teaching and Research Farm. Both sexes were reared together and raised on the same feed using broiler starter marsh from 5-8 weeks of age then, layer mash from 8-52 weeks and the experiment lasted for a period of 52 weeks. Weight of birds, weight of carcass and weight various organs were recorded on weekly basis and these were continued on the birds at 6, 8, 10, 16, 20, 24, 30 and 52 weeks of ages respectively. All data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance using GLM sub routine of SPSS 16.0 statistical package, and the means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test. Effect of age on carcass characteristics were significant (p<0.05) live weight at weeks 6 and 52 were 97.19g, 119.93g, 132.00g, 134.44g, 129.72g, 142.11g, 154.33g and 162.67g. Carcass weight were 67.60g, 86.57g, 93.42g, 92.35g, 89.82g, 96.98g, 104.14g and 119.54g and back weight were 24.42g, 30.10g, 28.40g, 31.52g, 29.24g, 33.12g, 36.99g and 51.90g respectively. The effects of age on different organ weights was significant (P<0.05) except gizzard weight which showed no significant difference (P<0.05) at all the ages. It was generally observed with different relative significance that organs and meat/carcass of the Japanese quail were correlated with age increase; it could be of advantage to both the producer and the consumer of the birds to slaughter the birds at appropriate ages since there are relative organ/carcass developments to corresponding ages and/or interest. This will reduce economic losses to producers and results in enhanced quality products for consumers.
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