The study was conducted on 8335 eggs obtained from two long-term growth selected (PQ1&2), a control (PQ3), a growth cum sexual maturity selected (PQ4) and three plumage -and egg -colour variant (WP, WB & WE) lines of Japanese quails. Incidence of dried -off eggs during incubation varied between 2.6 to 6.3%, and was highest in the growth selected lines, and lowest in the plumage and egg-colour lines. Selection for body weight over 24 generations led to decrease in fertility, hatchability and increase in embryonic mortality as indicated by the comparison of PQ1 and PQ2 with PQ3 line. Selection for sexual maturity led to restoring of fertility and hatchability. Plumage and egg colour variant lines had higher fertility and hatchability than other lines. The pattern of embryonic mortality also differed among lines with proportionally higher mortality during 0–11 d in the selected than the control line. The plumage and egg colour variant lines had lowest early (0-11d) but highest late (>12d) and piping mortality.
Embryonic mortality, Fertility, Hatchability, Long-term selection, Quails
