Egg quality in F1 cross between brown and black lines of Japanese quail

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine both external and internal egg quality in F1 cross between Brown and Black lines of Japanese quail. A total of 186 eggs given basal diets have been collected at the age of ten weeks and those eggs were then tested to evaluate their external and internal qualities. They were produced by four group of F1 cross between two lines of Brown male and Black female of Japanese quail and vice versa. Cross between Brown male and Black female lines produced Brown layer lines (B1 and B2 lines, respectively) while cross between Black male and Brown female lines was called L1 and L2 lines, respectively. The data was analyzed by using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) with an alpha level of 5%. Furthermore, the pairwise differences among populations were tested using Duncan’s multiple range test (DMRT). The results showed that egg weight, shell weight and egg interior traits including yolk index, albumin index, Haugh unit (HU), and yolk color score were significantly difference among F1 populations (P<0.05). Egg and shell weights were highest in B1 line, on the other hand, albumin index, yolk index, HU, yolk color score were found highest in B2 line. In addition, no differences among lines have been observed for shell thickness, egg index, and air cavity of egg. These results suggested that Brown quail line was better both exterior and interior qualities of egg.