Studies on the effect of age and sex on carcass characteristics of various stains of Japanese quail

In the present study, carcass characteristics of black spotted, white and brown strains of both male and female Japanese quails were studied at 5, 6, 7 and 8 weeks of age. Overall pre-slaughter weight and carcass weight of Japanese quails belonging to black spotted strain were significantly higher. Female birds had significantly heavier pre-slaughter weight and carcass weight while males had higher dressing percentage. The mean pre-slaughter weight, carcass weight and dressing percentage ranged from 106.20 to 214.27 g, 64.92 to 136.52 g and 60.58 to 64.34 per cent, respectively. Most of the offal was significantly higher in black spotted strain. The overall mean per cent blood yield, per cent feet yield, per cent feather yield, per cent head yield, per cent lung yield, per cent intestines, per cent spleen, per cent separable fat yield ranged from 3.11 to 5.14; 1.83 to 2.37; 6.52 to 10.02; 4.29 to 6.67; 0.87 to 1.31; 6.37 to 11.33; 0.12 to 0.26; 0.74 to 3.08, respectively. The per cent giblet yield of Japanese quails belonging to white (9.28) and brown (9.66) were significantly higher over black spotted strain (8.99). Male birds recorded higher per cent giblet yield (9.51) than female (9.11) birds. The mean per cent neck yield was 5.78. The corresponding means were 10.79, 38.32, 19.52 and 25.07 for wing, breast, back and leg yield, respectively. Thus, breast is the heaviest cut in the carcass of Japanese quail. Black spotted strain recorded higher overall meat to bone ratio while the sexes did not differ for this trait. The overall mean bone: meat ratio was 2.45, 2.52, 2.60 and 2.66 at 5, 6, 7 and 8 weeks of age, respectively and exhibited significant increase in mean bone: meat ratio as age advances. The results concluding that black spotted strain has higher carcass characteristics in respect to preslaughter weight, carcass yield, dressing per centage and breast yield than the white and brown strains.