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

Abstract

ABSTRACT 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.