Authors : I. Seker , F. Ekmen , M. Bayraktar and S. Kul
Abstract: This experiment was carried out to determine the effects of parental age and male to female ratio on egg weight, chick weight and hatchability on Japanese quails. In this study, quails were separated in to two groups on basis of age 10 weeks of ages (1. group) and 20 weeks of ages (2.groups). 1168 eggs were gathered from both groups during a week. The birds were caged 40x30 cm in size and 2 mating ratio 1 male to 2 female (1. group) and 1 male to 3 female (2. group). The effects of parental age on egg weight was statistically important (P<0.001). However it was not important for chick weight. The effects of mating ratio on egg weight and chick weight was statistically important at different degree (P<0.001, P<0.05 respectively). The effects of parental age on fertility, hatchability of fertile eggs (%) and hatchability of eggs set (%) and embryonic mortality was not statistically important. The effects of mating ratio was statistically important only on fertility (P<0.05). The effects of mating ratio on hatchability of eggs set for 1 group of age and on fertility for 2. group of age were statistically important (P<0.001). At the result, this study showed that egg weight increased with parental ages. However hatchability traits and chick weight were not affected by parental ages. Compare with 1 male to 2 female mating ratio 1 male to 3 female mating ratio had better egg weight, chick weight and hatchability (10 week of age group).
I. Seker , F. Ekmen , M. Bayraktar and S. Kul , 2004. The Effects of Parental Age and Mating Ratio on Egg Weight, Hatchability and Chick Weight in Japanese Quail . Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 3: 424-430.