2010•Tamilnadu Journal of Veterinary and Animal SciencesRequires access
GENETIC STUDIES ON GROWTH AND PRODUCTION TRAITS IN TWO STRAINS OF JAPANESE QUAILS
K. Sakunthala Devi, B. Ramesh Gupta, M. Gnana Prakash, Samra Qudratullah, Rajasekhar Reddy Alavala
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Abstract
A investigation was made on two strains of Japanese quails, Black (3,438) and Brown (3,710) under selection in generations 8, 9 and 10 for high 4-week body weight. The overall least squares means of body weights at day-old to 4 weeks of age were 9.41+0.01, 33.23+0.08, 71.61+0.16, 121.96+0.24 and 173.66+0.07 g respectively. The strains had significant influence on body weights from day-old to 4 and 8 to 20 weeks of age. Sex effect was significant on 2, 3 and 4 weeks body weights. The overall least squares mean for age at first egg was 56.26+0.51 days, which was significantly influenced by generation and hatch.. The overall least squares means for egg production was 30.85 and 73.02 upto 16 and 30 weeks of age, respectively. The heritability estimates of body weights varied from low to high at various ages. Genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations for body weight at various ages varied from low to high in magnitude. Age at first egg was negatively correlated (-0.11 to -0.16) with egg production and positively with egg weight at genetic level.