Effect of some managerial factors on behavior and performance of quail: Behavior, Management and Production of Japanese Quail (Coturnix Japonica)

Our work was carried out in three separate experiments; The first experiment concluded that cage systems are still the most efficient form of housing for breeder Japanese quail because it was accompanied with greatest feeding and drinking, egg production, hatchability,egg quality and lower mortality percent, but in order to reduce the welfare problems associated with these systems, the birds have to be equipped at minimum with an area for pecking, scratching, and dust-bathing to meet the fundamental behavioral needs of birds. The second experiment summarized that the sex ratio 1 male to 3 females was the optimum mating ratio in mass-mated groups of Japanese quail which lead to highest level of complete mating, egg production, maximum fertility and hatchability, and lowest level of agonistic encounters. The third experiment revealed that the puberty and sexual maturity ages of female quail were found to be 48 and 54 days, respectively. While in male quail they were found to be 32 and 42 days, respectively. The meat of Japanese quail (breast meat) contains 74.58% moisture, 18.88% protein, 3.45% fat and 2.57% ash in female, while in males 73.90% moisture, 19.75% protein, 2.58% fat.