Hatchability and Haematological Characteristics of Crossbred Japanese Quails Reared under Humid Tropical Conditions
Keywords:
Crossbred, egg fertility, growth performance, hatchability, health management, quail production, tropicsAbstract
Objective: This study evaluated the hatchability and haematological characteristics of crossbred Japanese quail progenies reared under humid tropical conditions to identify the most suitable crossbred strain for improved reproductive and physiological performance.
Materials and Methods: A total of 360 day-old Japanese quail chicks were used in the study, comprising 90 birds from each of four progeny groups. Each progeny group was assigned to three replicates of 30 birds each. Data were collected on fertility, hatchability and haematological characteristics. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and significant differences among means were separated using Duncan's New Multiple Range Test
Results: Most hatchability traits showed no significant differences (p>0.05) among the progeny groups, except for fertility and hatchability percentages, which differed significantly (p<0.05). The PW×CB (Panda White×Cinnamon Brown) progeny recorded the highest fertility (80.22%) and hatchability (75.81%), followed by the PW × PW (Panda White × Panda White) progeny. At three weeks of age, most haematological parameters differed significantly (p<0.05) among the progeny groups, whereas Red Blood Cell count (RBC), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were not significantly different (p>0.05). The PW×CB progeny had the highest haemoglobin concentration (14.33 g/dL), indicating better oxygen transport and tissue respiration. This progeny group also showed high white blood cell counts, suggesting a stronger immune response compared with the other progenies.
Conclusion: The PW×CB (Panda White×Cinnamon Brown) progeny exhibited superior fertility, hatchability and favourable haematological characteristics compared with the other progeny groups. These findings indicate that the PW×CB cross is the most suitable strain for rearing under humid tropical conditions due to its superior reproductive performance and physiological status.
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