Effect of ambient temperature on the production parameters and egg quality of Japanese quail (Cortunix japonica)

• Published in: Biological rhythm research Vol. 52; no. 7; pp. 1130 - 1137
• Main Authors: Soares, K.O, Saraiva, E. P, dos Santos, J.D.C., Amorim, R.G., Costa, J.L.G., Silva Veríssimo, T., Romão Guerra, R., Guilherme Caetano Gonçalves dos Santos, S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 09.08.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Albumen; Ambience; Bioclimatology; coturniculture; Egg production; Eggs; heat stress; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 0929-1016; 1744-4179
• DOI: 10.1080/09291016.2019.1619128

Aiming to establish the temperature ideas conditions for Japanese quail, 168 birds were distributed in a completely randomized design, in four treatments (temperatures: 20, 24, 28 and 32℃), with six replicates of seven birds each. The experiment was divided into four phases of 21 days, totaling 84 days of evaluation in bioclimatic chambers of CCA/UFPB, Areia, PB-Brazil. The parameters evaluated were: Feed intake/bird/day (g) (CR), egg production/bird/day (%) (PRO), average egg weight (g) (PMO), egg mass (g/bird/day) (MO), egg Components (g) (yolk, albumen and bark) (feed conversion per dozen eggs (kg/dz) (CDO), feed conversion by mass of eggs (kg/kg) (CMO), Haugh Unit (UH) specific gravity (GE) (g/cm3), Peel Resistance (RC). Statistical analyses were performed using the R Project software. The means of the variables were compared by the Tukey test (P < 0.05). The worst values of CR and PRO were observed at the temperature of 32°C. No significant difference was observed between the CMO and CDO medias. The egg quality parameters PO, MO, and PG showed the worst values at the temperature of 32°C. From 28°C, the zootechnical indexes are negatively influenced by the increase in temperature.