Effect of Sex, Type of Feed and Age at Slaughter on Carcass Yield Characteristics of Japanese Quails (Cortunix Japonica) In Malawi

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate carcass yield characteristics of Japanese quails (Cortunix japonica). A total of 120 Japanese quails were slaughtered at three (3) different ages: five, eight and eleven weeks, to compare the effects of sex, type of feed and age at slaughter on carcass yield composition. The birds were randomly allocated to two treatments based on type of feed with 60 birds (30 males and 30 females) in each treatment. Treatment one used commercial feed; broiler starter mash with 22.5% Crude Protein (CP), 18.7% CP layers. Treatment two used on-farm formulated feed, with 24.6% CP starter and grower, and 20.2% CP layers. 20 quails (10 males and 10 females) from each treatment were slaughtered at the ages of five, eight and eleven weeks. Before slaughter the birds were starved overnight and then weighed individually. Thereafter, they were slaughtered, bled, scalded and plucked, eviscerated and dissected manually. Data collected included: live body weight, weight of gizzards, drum stick, thighs, heads, breast muscles, back, chilling loss, full and empty Gastrointestinal tract (GIT), wings, legs, necks, dressing out percentage, hot carcass and cold carcass weights. The results showed that sex, age and feed have significant effect (P<0.05) on carcass yield. The results also showed that quails at the age of 5 weeks have higher hot and cold carcass weights and higher slaughter weights at the age of 11 weeks. The results also showed significant differences (P<0.05) in some parts of the carcass between males and females with females having higher carcass parts than males. It was concluded that quails should be slaughtered around 5-6 weeks of age so as to obtain higher carcass yields.