Growth performance evaluation of four genetic groups of meat quails, Coturnix sp.

Abstract

A trial was conducted with the objective
to evaluate growth performance, carcass yield, and
slaughtering age of four genetic groups of meat quail,
of both sexes, raised from 1 to 77 days and slaughtered
weekly from 35 to 77 days. The experiment utilized 1984
birds, in a completely randomised design, with a factorial
of 2 genders and 4 families (A, B, C and D), in a total of
8 treatments with 4 replicates of 62 birds each. Body
weight of female quail at 28 days was higher than other
ages independently of family. Family A was heavier than
family B at 35, 56 and 77 days. At 42 days of age female
showed higher feed consumption and low feed
conversion than male. Considering the results as a whole,
the best slaughtering age for both genders was 49 days.
Key-words: genetic group, growing performance, meat
quail, production, slaughtering age.