Effect of genotype and breeding systems on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of japanese quail

This study was conducted to determine the effects of different genotypes and rearing systems on fattening performance in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 900 quail eggs (450 eggs per genotype) of two genotypes were used in this study conducted at Çukurova University Research and Application Farm. At hatching, a total of 720 quail chicks (360 chicks per genotype) were reared in 3 different rearing systems with each rearing system having 3 replicates. At the end of the experiment, it was observed that Cukurova quails had higher body weight from week 1 up till to end of the experiment (P≤0.05). The live weights of Çukurova quails from week 1 up till the end of the experiment were 36.06±0.36, 87.64±0.66, 162.09±1.03, 229.29±1.51 and 274.49±1.76 g, respectively. SQuails in cages had higher live weights ((P≤0.05) than quails in other production systems from week 1 to the end of the experiment and live weights of quails in cages from week 1 to slaughter were 36.32±0.6, 86.90±0.71, 163.34±1.14, 229.54±1.69 and 283.52±1.10 g, respectively. Cukurova quails had higher (P≤0.05) body weight gain in the third week (73.96±1.84g), while Commercial quails had higher (P≤0.05) body weight gain in the fourth and fifth weeks (68.85±1.10 and 47.60±1.28g, respectively). Also, at the end of the experiment, quails in the litter system had higher (P≤0.05) feed intake in the first and second weeks of the experiment (7154.00±111g and 12218.00±971.00g, respectively), but quails in cages had higher (P≤0.05) feed intake in the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks of the experiment (6325.17±160.30, 8725.50±171.43, 11036.83±435.06g, respectively). In addition, Cukurova quails had better (P≤0.05) feed efficiency (3.40±0.39) than commercial quails at the 5th week of the experiment. While feed conversion ratio in the group reared on slatted floors was better (P≤0.05) in the 3rd week (1.91±0.06), the litter system had better (P≤0.05) feed conversion ratio (3.07±0.08) than the other groups in the 4th week. Slaughter weight was higher (P≤0.05) (208.37±3.10) in quails raised in cages compared to those raised in other production systems. Inedible organ weight was also higher (P≤0.05) (17.41±1.16 g) in quails raised in cages. After slaughter, both carcass weight and carcass percentage were higher (P≤0.05) in the commercial group compared to the Çukurova group (202.48±3.15 g and 75.44±0.40%, respectively). When all the results are considered together, it is concluded that it is more appropriate to raise Çukurova and Commercial genotype quails in cage or floor system with litter in terms of fattening performance and carcass characteristics.