Effect of photoperiod on growth, food consumption and breeding biology of Japanese quail, Cortunix coturnix japonica.

Ng. Sandhyarani Devi; W. Vidyarani Devi

Volume : IX, Issue : I, January - 2019

Effect of photoperiod on growth, food consumption and breeding biology of Japanese quail, Cortunix coturnix japonica.

Ng. Sandhyarani Devi, W. Vidyarani Devi

Abstract :

Japanese quail is one of the popular laboratory animals for scientific research. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of photoperiod on growth, food consumption and eeding biology of quails in laboratory at Manipur University, Canchipur (Latitude 24.820N and Longitude 93.950E). The experimental protocol included exposure of one animal group to continuous light (LL) and another group to normal day length (NDL) and the experiment was conducted for ninety days (90) and repeated during early summer (3rd week of May to 2ndweek of August, 2011), summer (2ndweek of July to 1st week of October, 2011) and winter (1st week of December 2011 to 1st week of March, 2012).During early summer the average body weight of adult birds in LL increased significantly (P<0.05) compared to NDL, 258.00 ± 15.55 gms (LL), 218.98± 2.75 gms (NDL). Food consumption values were higher in LL groups than NDL groups in all the seasons studied. In summer the average body weight of NDL and LL showed no significant difference 243.97±20.04 gms (LL), 241.80 ± 11.01 gms (NDL) 245.95± 10.43gms (LL), 224.53 ± 12.06gms (NDL). However in winter average body weight in LL increased significantly compared to birds exposed to NDL. The commencement of egg laying was on 58th day in early summer, 53rd in summer, and 54th day in winter in all LL groups whereas there was no egg laying in NDL groups in early summer, summer and in winter commencement of egg laying was on 84th day of reå. Five (5) eggs were laid by the quails exposed to winter months during the study period. In general, quails subjected to continuous light attained earlier sexual maturity than those subjected to normal photoperiod.