TY  - JOUR
T1  - Effects of Group Size on Fattening Performance, Mortality Rate, Slaughter and Carcass Characteristics in Japanese Quails (<I>Coturnix coturnix japonica</I>)
AU - , Ibrahim Seker AU - , Selim Kul AU - , Metin Bayraktar 
JO  - Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
VL  - 8
IS  - 4
SP  - 688
EP  - 693
PY  - 2009
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1680-5593
DO  - javaa.2009.688.693
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=javaa.2009.688.693
KW  - Group size
KW  -fattening performance
KW  -mortality rate
KW  -slaughter and carcass
KW  -Japanese quail
AB  - This study was conducted to determine the effects of different group sizes upon fattening performance, mortality rate and slaughter and carcass characteristics in Japanese quails (<I>Coturnix coturnix japonica</I>). A total of 150 quails were used in the study. The quails were kept in cages with a stocking density of 125 cm<SUP>2</SUP> quail<SUP>-1</SUP> and in group sizes of 3 and 10 and were fed <I>ad libitum</I>. The effect of group size on live weight gain and cumulative live weight gain was found to be statistically significant in general, while its effect on live weight was insignificant. It was determined that mortality rate increased with increasing group size; however, the difference was not significant (p>0.05). The effect of group size was found to be statistically significant for feed intake between the 29-35 days (p<0.05) and between the 36-42 days (p<0.01), for cumulative feed intake only between 14-42 days (p<0.01) and for feed conversion rate between the 29-35 days, the 36-42 days and 14-42 days (p<0.05). The effect of group size was found insignificant on slaughter and carcass characteristics (except for the liver weight (p<0.05)). Consequently, it was concluded that quail breeding in cages with a stocking density of 125 cm<SUP>2</SUP> quail<SUP>-1</SUP> might yield better results with a group size of 10, when compared to a group size of 3, in terms of live weight and in particular, feed intake and feed conversion rate.
ER  -