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Quail Eggs
Abstract
This introduction to quail eggs is for the novice with an interest in producing quail eggs for human consumption with a focus on Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A game bird that has been domesticated, Japanese quail are highly efficient producers of small, nutritious eggs. The life cycle, production systems, and feed requirements of quail, including egg processing options, and United States regulations are presented. Quail egg characteristics, including a comparison of quail egg nutrients to those of chicken eggs, are provided. Nutrient enhancement of quail eggs through manipulation of the female diet is discussed. Common quail diseases and food safety issues are introduced. Overall, the market in North America for quail eggs is underdeveloped. Greater research support is needed to propel production and processing of quail eggs forward, to maintain a high level of food safety, and to meet consumers’ expectations for a unique, delicious, healthy egg alternative.
... On the other side, although eggs still have to face many years of nutritionist recommendations aiming at restricting egg consumption to limit the incidence of cardiovascular disease, many different studies have shown that there was no evidence of a correlation between dietary eggs and an increase in plasma total cholesterol [4]. Due to their nutrient profile, variety and low cost as food, eggs remain a food product of high nutritional quality for people of different age groups and are one of the most popular foods extensively consumed worldwide [4][5][6]. Moreover, there are no cultural restrictions for egg usage [7]. ...
... Moreover, there are no cultural restrictions for egg usage [7]. The nutritional value of quail eggs is much higher than that of other eggs and provide significantly more nutritional value than do other foods [6,8]. ...
... The authors compared the cholesterol content in quail and chicken as well as other species' egg yolk and reported different results. In some studies [50], there was no significant difference in the cholesterol content between quail and chicken eggs; however, in other studies [6,42], the yolk of quail eggs showed a higher cholesterol content compared to chicken yolk or a lower cholesterol content compared to ostrich and turkey egg yolks [3]. In the present study, the lower (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) yolk cholesterol content was demonstrated by the quail fed the diet supplemented with rapeseed cake compared to the quail which were fed the diets containing more n-3 PUFAs hemp and camelina cakes, and this is in contrast with Alagawany et al. [5], who reported that a higher level of PUFAs in quail diets reduces cholesterol content. ...
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of supplementing commercial diets with rapeseed, hempseed and camelina seed cakes on the yolk and albumen colour and nutritional value of yolk lipids in Estonian quail eggs. A total of 585 eggs were used to evaluate egg weight, yolk and albumen pH and colour, proximate yolk composition, cholesterol content and fatty acid composition in the yolk lipids of three Estonian quail groups each fed a diet supplemented with 10% rapeseed, hemp or camelina seed cakes. The higher (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) lightness (L*) of the yolk was detected in the group of quail fed the diet supplemented with rapeseed and camelina cakes compared to the hempseed addition. Meanwhile, the albumen lightness in the rapeseed group was higher (p < 0.01) in comparison to the camelina group. A lower (p < 0.001) yolk negative a* value was estimated in the hemp group than in the groups fed rapeseed and camelina seed cake supplements, while the rapeseed group demonstrated lower (p < 0.001) albumen yellowness (b*) and colour saturation (C) in comparison to the other groups. The highest and lowest proportions of total saturated (SFAs)and monounsaturated (MUFAs) fatty acids, respectively, were found in the yolk lipids of quails fed a mixture supplemented by hemp cake. A higher (p < 0.05) proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) was only found in the hemp group compared to the camelina group. The highest and lowest (p < 0.001) n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios were found in the yolk lipids of quail receiving mixtures supplemented with rapeseed and camelina cakes, respectively. The yolk of the quail from the rapeseed group showed more favourable lower and higher (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) atherogenic index (AI) and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic (h/H) ratio compared to the hemp and camelina groups. The lower yolk cholesterol content was found in the eggs of the quail fed the diet supplemented with rapeseed cake compared to the eggs of the quail which were fed the diets containing more n-3 PUFAs from the addition of hemp and camelina cakes (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively).
... The quail egg performs an important role in human food due to its high nutritional potential, being a source of proteins, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins. Its composition is similar to the chicken egg (Arthur & Bejaei, 2017; United States Department of Agriculture [USDA], 2021a; USDA, 2021b), however, the production and consumption of quail egg in the world are still very low compared to chicken eggs (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO], 2021). ...
... The quail egg processing can be applied, offering convenience to consumers, in addition to promoting a longer shelf life, adding value to the product (Arthur & Bejaei, 2017) and avoiding losses. A good example is the dehydration of the quail egg by freeze-drying, which is a mild method because it does not use high temperatures. ...
This study aimed to produce quail egg powder by freeze-drying and to evaluate its stability in different types of flexible packages (low-density polyethylene, polypropylene and pigmented polypropylene) in high relative humidity (approximately 81%) at 25 °C during 59 days. The packages were evaluated for water vapor permeability and freeze-dried egg was characterized as to bulk density and hygroscopicity (initial time), and moisture, water activity, pH and color (until the end of storage). GAB, BET and Peleg sorption isotherm models were adjusted to the experimental data to predict monolayer moisture content in the powdered eggs. The freeze-dried quail eggs presented a little oscillation in color coordinates, reduction in pH, and increase in moisture content and water activity during storage for all packages used. No evaluated packaging was sufficiently effective as a moisture barrier. GAB and BET models fitted better to the experimental data for the freeze-dried quail egg, and the estimated monolayer moisture values were 0.0333 and 0.0227 g H2O/g solids, respectively. The powdered quail egg has industrial potential, however, it is susceptible to significant changes throughout storage when exposed to high relative humidity and conditioned in the tested packages. Commercially, as this product can be sold in regions with different temperatures and relative humidity, it is essential to consider the use of preservatives or anti-wetting agents.
... For example, they contain 64 mg of calcium, 3.65 mg of iron, 13 mg of magnesium, 226 mg of phosphorus, 1.47 mg of zinc, 0.13 mg of thiamine, 0.790 mg of riboflavin, 0.150 mg of niacin, 1.761 mg of pantothenic acid and others. The shell of a quail egg is 90% calcium carbonate [7,8]. Because of this, it can be used as an alternative substitute for CaO and CaCO3 [9]. ...
The concept of sustainable development is centred around recycling waste materials generated by the agro-industrial complex. One of the ways to achieve this is by using biowaste derived from food products, such as quail eggshells, as a sustainable and eco-friendly raw material to replace limestone or carbonate stone in the production of calcium acetate (Ca(CH3COO)2·H2O). This research shows the possibility of producing calcium acetate in laboratory conditions by chemical transformation with acetic acid using quail eggshells as the raw material. 50 g of quail eggshells were subjected to chemical treatment with 10% acetic acid, producing 60.09 g of calcium acetate monohydrate, with a maximum yield of 76%. The X-ray diffraction data of the resulting product strongly suggested the presence of calcium acetate, and the crystallinity of the salt was found to be 72.57%. Based on these observations, it can be concluded that quail eggshells can be used as an alternative raw material for producing calcium acetate in a sustainable manner.
... The quail (Coturnix coturnix) has unique and pleasant meat and egg flavor characteristics [1][2][3][4], fast reproduction and fast return on invested capital [5][6][7]. For these reasons, quails were bred all over the world to produce meat, eggs or for both purposes, in European countries, in the East and in other Asian countries, respectively [8][9][10][11][12]. ...
Our aim was to evaluate the use and application of different nonlinear mixed models, as well as to compare them with approach in nonlinear fixed models, for describing the growth curve of meat-type quails according to gender. A total of 15,002 and 15,408 records of males and females were used, respectively. The body weights were regressed on age of the animals using nonlinear models (Brody; Gompertz; Logistic, Morgan-Mercer-Flodin, Richards and Von Bertalanffy). All model parameters were considered fixed, whereas parameters related to asymptotic weight and maturity rate were fitted as random effects. The Bayesian Information Criterion was used to find the model of best fit. For both genders, the model that used the Morgan-Mercer-Flodin function with the inclusion of asymptotic weight as a random effect was considered the best-fitting model because it reduced the residual variance and increased the accuracy. Based on the lower absolute growth rate and growth velocity of male quails compared to that of females, it can be inferred that males should be slaughtered later. Given the results of this study, it can contribute to the current knowledge about animal yield, specifically at the best moment to slaughter and, this sense, improv the quality genetic of the populations in time.
... У своєму хімічному складі перепелині яйця містять унікальний комплекс білків, вітамінів і мінералів. Порівняно з курячими, в перепелиних яйцях міститься більше вітамінів (А, В 1 , В 2 ), значно вищий вміст фосфору, калію, заліза; за вмістом незамінних амінокислот (тирозину, треоніну, лізину, гліцину і гістидину) перепелині яйця також переважають курячі [2,4]. Завдяки високому вмісту і унікальному поєднанню цінних поживних речовин яйця перепелів є не тільки корисним продуктом харчування, а і характеризується лікувальним впливом, який широко використовується медиками в усьому світі. ...
Мета. Метою статті було дослідження стану та перспектив виробництва перепелиних яєць, обґрунтування доцільності застосування інструментів управління якістю, а саме причинно-наслідкової діаграми Ісікави, для виявлення факторів, що впливають на якість яєць перепелиних, встановлення характеру впливу та вагомість цих факторів в рамках проведення товарознавчої оцінки. Методика. При дослідженні використовували такі методики як: збір інформації, її аналітичне опрацювання та теоретичне узагальнення. Також було застосовано статистичні методи контролю якості (інструменти контролю якості), а саме причинно-наслідкову діаграму Ісікави (Cause and Effect Diagram). Результати. Узагальнено особливості розвитку виробництва перепелиних яєць, висвітлено тенденції, шляхи підвищення ефективності галузі з метою забезпечення населення високоякісними продуктами харчування, утримання і підвищення конкурентних позицій та створення умов для виходу на зовнішній ринок. За допомогою діаграми Ісікави було встановлено причинно-наслідкові зв’язки причин невідповідного стану шкаралупу перепелиних яєць, визначені головні та вторинні причини виникнення цих невідповідностей. Встановлено, на яких етапах технологічної схеми виробництва вони виникають. Серед основних (первинних) причин визначено такі як: зовнішні умови, умови і якість годівлі, вид та стан птахів, а також людський фактор. Наукова новизна. Проведено аналіз факторів, що формують якість яєць перепелиних, встановлено причинно-наслідкові зв’язки утворення невідповідностей яєць перепелиних вимогам нормативних документів за допомогою діаграми Ісікави. Практична значимість. Отримані результати дають змогу виробникам ефективно управляти формуванням та збереженням якості яєць перепелиних з урахуванням особливостей виробництва, технічних можливостей конкретних підприємств, організації товаропостачання та реалізації.
... Завдяки високій концентрації цінних поживних речовин яйця перепелів є дуже корисними не тільки як продукти харчування, а й як важливий лікувальний засіб, який широко рекомендують до вживання медики в усьому світі [5]. За вмістом незамінних амінокислот (тирозину, треоніну, лізину, гліцину і гістидину) перепелині яйця також переважають курячі [6]. ...
Goal. To determine current problems of domestic quail growing concerning livestock and egg production and quail meat production. Methods. Statistical methods of analysis of the current state and determination of directions of development of the industry, methods of observation, comparative analysis, theoretical generalization. Results. Trends in the development of industrial quail growing in the domestic market of Ukraine are studied, due to the high taste qualities of eggs and meat, rapid reproducibility of production and cost recovery in the short term. The average annual number of quails in Ukraine is about 3 million heads. The annual production of quail eggs (0.53 billion pieces) and meat (about 1.2—1.5 thousand tons) is determined. By that indices, Ukraine is among the top ten in the world and has great prospects for further growth. Demand for quail products and low saturation of the domestic market (25%) is also fixed, which, given the global trends in consumption of eggs and quail meat, testifies to the great prospects for the development of the industry in Ukraine. Conclusions. The quail growing industry in Ukraine has a high domestic and export potential for egg and meat production due to its special geographical, climatic and logistical position in the world.
An enhanced quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) purification method utilizing multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been developed and coupled with liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry for the determination of eight quinolone drug residues in quail eggs. The sample was extracted using ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid‐McIlvaine buffer (pH = 4.0) and 2% formic acid in acetonitrile, followed by salting out with MgSO 4 , and purification with primary secondary amine (PSA), MWCNT, and Octadecylsilane (C18). The method demonstrated linear relationships for the target compounds within the range of 2–100 µg/L with correlation coefficients ( r ) exceeding 0.99. The limits of detection and quantification were determined to be 0.4 and 0.8 µg/kg, respectively. Validation through a three‐level spiking test (low, medium, and high) in quail eggs resulted in an average recovery rate ranging from 86.8% to 113.7%, with relative standard deviations between 2.6% and 10.2% ( n = 6). This method offers rapid operation, excellent purification efficiency, and high sensitivity, making it suitable for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of quinolone drug residues in eggs. Application of this method to a batch of 20 quail eggs revealed the presence of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, suggesting a potential risk of non‐compliant quinolones use in quail egg production.
The meat of the quail is one of the most delicious types, as it is rich in minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin K, which is useful in treating nervous diseases. In the present investigation, based on their live body weight, 270 genetically-enhanced white quail chicks of mixed sex were randomly assigned to 3 groups, each with 90 chicks. The first group's birds were slaughtered at 28 d of age. The birds in the second group were slaughtered at 31 d, and the birds in the third group were slaughtered at 34 d. Results showed no significant difference between the various groups in the overall mortality rate index at the end of each fattening stage (P > 0.05). There were substantial variations (P ≤ 0.05) in the average live weight index between the first and both groups at each group's marketing age. With increasing marketing age, body weight increases. Quail chicks raised for 34 d received the lowest EPEF (28.90 points), followed by those raised for 31 d and 28 d, which received 33.37 and 37.32 points, respectively. The economic feasibility of the 3 groups, no significant differences in the profit index were observed at the age of 28 d. Compared to the marketing age of the other 2 groups, it was noted that the profit index decreased as the birds advanced in age. Delaying marketing to 31 d leads to a decrease in profit by 5.7%, and delaying marketing to 34 d reduces the profit index to 26.36% compared to marketing at 28 d. For blood hematology parameters, a significant increase in the studied indicators with the age of the birds was observed through the study of blood indicators. Still, it did not reach the significance level. It could be concluded that 28 d is the ideal marketing age for the enhanced white quails, as it yielded the highest economic return and the best performance.
Stunting is a child health problem caused by a child's failure to grow according to the child'sgrowthstandards. Stunting can be prevented by consuming animal protein such as eggs and meat. Animal protein contains essential amino acids needed for children's growth. Oeltua Village, Kupang, has a low per capita income value, which has an impact on the community's nutritional intake being unbalanced and resulting in children having the potential to be stunted and stunted. Quail farming can provide people's animal food needs in eggs and meat. EM4-based quail farming can provide food sources of animal protein quantity and quality. PAR method was used in the empowerment; PAR method involves education and data collection on stunting, practice, assistance in raising quail using EM4, monitoring and evaluating quail production. The empowerment socialization was attended by 92% of mothers with toddlers, 5% of fathers accompanying mothers, and 3% of productive women. The health conditions were seven male and 14 female toddlers with the potential to be stunded; 4 male and three female toddlers were stunted. Quail egg production showed increased production in monitoring I‒VIII (27‒224). Egg production is 2‒5 days/house, and the average is 75‒135 months/house to fulfil children's protein needs. EM4-based quail farming can be implemented in the Oeltua Village community. Toddlers need a nutritional intake of animal protein, which can be fulfilled by consuming quail eggs to reduce the potential and incidence of stunting.
A total of 300 quail eggs were collected randomly from different markets in Cairo and Giza Governorates. Five eggs were represented as one egg sample. Shell and content of each egg were examined for their microbiological contents, sensory evaluation, and study of E. coli O157 survival in artificially contaminated eggs. Moreover, qualitative detection of antimicrobial residues by seven plates microbiologically bioassay and confirmed by validated High‐performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods for positively reacted antimicrobials in raw and boiled samples. There was a significant difference (P< 0.05) between the grading score of eggs after the boiling at 2‐, 4‐, 5‐, and 7‐min. Based on the survival results, the refrigeration storage and boiling for five min of quail eggs was confirmed that such eggs without E. coli O157. After the boil, the concentrations of Oxytetracycline (OTC) and 4‐Epi‐OTC residues were significantly reduced, and there was no effect on the concentration of Sulfadimidine (SDD), Amoxicillin (AMO), and Diketo residues. Samples that exceeded the maximum residual limits (MRLs) were 17.0%, 12.0%, 10.0%, 16.0%, and 14.0% for SDD, OTC, 4‐Epi‐OTC, AMO, and Diketo, respectively. After boiling, no significant change was noted for SDD, AMO, and Diketo but all OTC and 4‐Epi‐OTC were completely below MRLs. Therefore, SDD and AMO with their metabolite (Diketo) are heat‐stable antimicrobials residues with multiple human health hazards.
IN THE routine care of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) it was observed that two eggs were often found the same day on the bird’s egg tray. This event occurred so frequently that it seemed desirable to determine the time of ovipositing in this species and compare to that of chickens. The time interval between successive eggs was also determined.
The number of hours between successive eggs of chickens has been reported by Atwood (1929) to be influenced by the position in the sequence of successive eggs. For two-egg sequences the average time interval was approximately 28 hours. The interval between eggs in the middle of long sequences was about 25 hours. The results of Heywang (1938), who further observed that the time interval between the first two and the last two eggs of a sequence was longer than average, are essentially in agreement.
Approximately 65 percent of chicken eggs . . .
The objective of this study was to evaluate the internal quality of eggs of Japanese quails fed diets supplemented with chelated selenium and zinc. The experiment was carried out for 120 days, and 144 birds were divided in random blocks into four treatments (control; 0.3 ppm Se; 60 ppm Zn and 0.3 ppm Se + 60 ppm Zn). Ten, 14, 18, and 22 weeks after the beginning of lay, eggs were collected and stored under two different temperatures (environmental temperature or refrigeration) and for 10, 20, and 30 days. Eggs were analyzed for: Haugh units (HU), albumen height (AH), yolk index (YI), and albumen index (AI). Parameters were only statistically influenced by the interaction between dietary treatment and storage time. It was concluded that the addition of organic Se and Zn influenced internal egg quality when eggs were stored up to 20 days, independently of storage temperature, suggesting that the combined supplementation of organic Se and Zn improve internal egg quality and extend egg shelf life.
EARLY determination of the sex of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is desirable when these birds are raised for experimental purposes. Sexual dimorphism does not become obvious until the
contour feathers emerge when the quail are 2 to 3 weeks of age. The birds usually are sexed by the difference in color of
the breast feathers, the male having brownish-red feathers and the female characteristically having tan (gray) feathers with
black speckles.
In some mutant stocks, color of the feathers remains identical in both sexes even after sexual maturity, e.g., the “ghost
bar mutant” and other types of albinos. In these stocks, identification of the sex is possible by observing the development
of the cloacal gland after the birds were 4 weeks of age. This gland is located in the dorsal wall of the cloaca and becomes
hypertrophic in sexually active males.
The above two methods are not satisfactory for . . .
A trial was conducted to evaluate quality of quail eggs
from two companies (A and B) at two storage times (5 and
15 days after packing). A total of 480 eggs were kept at
room temperature and distributed in a completely
randomized design in 2x2factorial arrangement
(companies and storage time). The results indicated that
trays from company B presented higher weight, as well as
mean egg weight. However, the eggs in trays from
company A showed greater uniformity. Evaluating the
external quality, we found that above 90% of eggshell
were considered with total integrity, and no difference for
this characteristic between companies was found. The
eggs from company A presented lower average weight in
comparison to those from company B, regarding storage
time. No differences were observed between eggs from
companies A and B for Haugh unit value. Storage time of
15 days after packing promoted reduction in Haugh unit
value in comparison to those stored for 5 days. Quail eggs
from company A presented lower variation in weight,
although heavier eggs are produced by company B.
Internal quality of quail eggs from both companies was
similar. Storage time affected eggs quality.
Fresh quail eggs were stored at room temperature in July and periodically examined to evaluate microbiological quality, weight loss, and interior quality.
Egg contents showed no marked change after storage for 14 days, but heavy contamination with gram negative bacteria or moulds was detected after storage for 21 and 28 days. The degree of contamination of the eggs after washing was heavier than that of unwashed eggs. An average of 4.0 × 10⁵ bacteria/egg were found on the shell surface of the fresh eggs. Gram positive bacteria predominated and their numbers decreased with storage. Salmonella and Staphylococcus aureus were found on the eggs, 6% and 1% respectively, but these pathogens were not detected after 14 days storage.
The weight loss in the eggs was 2.99% after 14 days and 5.90% after 28 days. The yolk index decreased rapidly in comparison with hen eggs. Haugh unit values did not correlate well with storage time, whereas both the interior quality unit and albumen height seemed to be suitable for expressing interior quality. The yolks of eggs stored 21 days could not be readily separated from the albumen, either because of collapse of the yolk membrane or because of adhesion of the yolk to shell membranes.
It was concluded from this study that shelf life of unrefrigerated quail eggs would not be greater than 14 days in summer and that washing of the eggs at farms should be avoided.
Abstract 1. This study was conducted to determine the effects of hempseed (HS) on performance, egg traits, serum lipid profile and antioxidant activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). 2. A total of 120 eight-week old laying quail were divided into 4 experimental groups with 10 replicates. The treatments were as follows: 1) Control diet (C, no HS in the diet); 2) 5% HS in the diet (HS5); 3) 10% HS in the diet (HS10); and 4) 20% HS in the diet (HS20). The quail were fed the experimental diets from 8 to 14 weeks of age. 3. There was no significant difference in body weight (BW), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of the birds overall in the experiment. The egg production was not influenced by the HS contents in the diet; however the HS10 diet increased egg weight and egg specific gravity. The carcass traits were not affected by the HS contents. 4. The serum triglyceride, cholesterol and the high density lipoprotein (HDL) were not significantly altered; however, low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration in HS supplemented groups were lower than that of the C group. 5. The MDA, SOD, CAT and NO concentrations were not significantly affected but in the HS10 and HS20 GSH-Px concentration was higher than in the C and HS5 groups. 6. The omega-3 fatty acid content of eggs increased linearly with increasing dietary HS content in the diet. 7. In conclusion, HS could be a potential feed and health benefit as a natural antioxidant in relation to decreasing serum LDL and increasing GSH-Px concentration in the liver of laying quail.
The study was conducted to estimate requirements of energy and crude protein for maintenance, weight gain and egg production of Japanese quails in the period of 67 to 107 days of age. Two experiments were performed: one, to determine the requirements for maintenance of protein, and the other, for energy. Experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design with four dietary levels of offer and four replicates of six birds. The diets offered were: ad libitum (100%), 75%, 50%, and 25% consumption ad libitum (below maintenance). The methodology used to estimate the demand for maintenance was the comparative slaughter. For estimation of the requirement for weight gain, eight groups of 15 quails were reared separately, fed ad libitum and housed under 22 ºC controlled temperature. From these poultry, three groups were slaughtered at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 days of the trial. The requirement for egg production was obtained by taking the ratio of energy content, egg protein, efficiency of energy use and protein for egg production. Prediction equations that estimate maintenance requirement, weight gain and egg production in energy and crude protein of Japanese quail include: metabolizable energy (kcal/bird/day) = 92.34*body weight0.75 + 6.23*weight gain + 4.19*egg mass; crude protein (g/bird/day) = 6.71*body weight0.75 + 0.615*weight gain + 0.258*egg mass.
Japanese quail research measured by the number of published papers has gradually diminished over the past 10 years, and the trend appears to be due to the decrease of works using Japanese quail as an animal model or for biological studies. The flow of avian science-related papers on quail published in international journals remains about co nstant and low over the same period as the number of teams or laboratories with a quail research programme are few. On the other hand, commercial production of Japanese quail for eggs and meat is difficult to track precisely, and it is quite unequal across countries and continents, with increasing production in a few places, like Brazil. The futures of quail research and of quail production are not independent, however, and better links between both activities are needed to promote relevant research, explore new avenues of quail production, and help maintain this bird as an essential animal model.
In this study, long-term egg production was monitored in a Japanese quail flock, which had not undergone any genetic improvement, for 52 wk as of the age of sexual maturity. The study aimed to detect some traits with respect to egg production, to determine the cumulative hen-housed egg numbers, and to compare goodness of fit of different nonlinear models for the percentage of hen-day egg production. The mean age at first egg was 38.9 d and the age at 50% egg production was 45.3 d. The quail reached peak production at 15 wk of age (wk 9 of egg production period) when the percentage of hen-day egg production was found to be 94%. The cumulative hen-housed egg number for 52 wk as of the age of sexual maturity was 253.08. The monomolecular function, a nonsigmoid model, was used in the nonlinear regression analysis of the cumulative egg numbers. Parameters a, b, and c of the monomolecular model were estimated to be 461.70, 473.31, and 0.065, respectively. Gamma, McNally, Adams-Bell, and modified compartmental models, widely used in hens previously, were used in the nonlinear regression analysis of the percentages of hen-day egg production. The goodness of fit for these models was compared using the values of pseudo-R(2), Akaike's information criterion, and Bayesian information criterion. It was determined that all the models are adequate but that the Adams-Bell model displayed a slightly better fit for the percentage of hen-day egg production in Japanese quail than others.
This experiment deals with lycopene-enriched egg production in quails and their effects on antioxidant status of humans upon their consumption. Ninety Japanese quails were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 diets containing 0, 100, and 200 mg lycopene per kilogram for 90 days. Fifteen male non-smoker volunteers (30–40 years old) were given two quail eggs daily in the breakfast for 10 weeks. Dietary lycopene supplementation increased feed intake (P < 0.0003) and egg production (P < 0.001) in quails. Egg yolk colour improved
(Y = 5.81 + 0.15X, R2 = 0.72, P < 0.0001), whereas egg yolk malondialdehyde (MDA) content depressed (Y = 0.86 � 0.004X, R2 = 0.58, P < 0.0001) as supplemental lycopene level increased. No measurable level of lycopene was detected in egg yolk of quails
fed the control diet; there was a dose-dependent increase in egg yolk lycopene of quails supplemented with increasing dietary lycopene (P < 0.0001). Consumption of lycopene-enriched quail eggs was associated with increased serum lycopene (Y = 16.36 + 0.53X,
R2 = 0.82, P < 0.0001) and decreased MDA (Y = 0.76 � 0.006X, R2 = 0.75, P < 0.0001) concentrations in humans. Moreover, there was an inverse relationship between serum lycopene and MDA concentrations (Y = 0.89 � 0.009X, R2 = 0.61, P < 0.0001). In conclusion,
dietary lycopene supplementation to quails improved performance and egg quality. Delivering lycopene via eggs quails supplemented with lycopene also increased serum lycopene and depressed serum MDA concentrations in humans. Provision of antioxidant
nutrients to humans via functional food production at farm level is possible.
This paper reviews the literature pertaining to the behavior of the Japanese or domestic quail Coturnix japonica. Details are given of the classification, characteristics, domestication and the economic and research potential of the species. Further sections deal with sensation and perception (including taste and smell, vision and hearing), maintenance behavior (including feeding and drinking, dust bathing and thermoregulation), development and aging (including vocalization, filial imprinting, sexual imprinting, fear and avoidance responses, sexual maturation and aging), adult learning (including habituation, instrumental conditioning, Pavlovian conditioning and observational learning), photoperiodism, reproductive behavior (including courtship and mating, hormonal control and ontogeny of sexual differentiation, and male and female sexual behavior), parental behavior (including nest-site selection and nest building, incubation behavior and its hormonal control, and hen-chick relationships), and aggressive behavior and dominance (including agonistic behavior and the hormonal control of aggressive behavior)
In February and March 2009, a total of seven quail farms in the Aichi Prefecture in Japan were found to be infected with an avian influenza (AI) virus. Low pathogenic AI viruses, subtype H7N6, were isolated from three of these farms. The infection was eliminated through the destruction of susceptible birds on the infected premises, movement controls of quail and other poultry in areas around infected premises, accompanied by intensive clinical, serological and virological surveillance. Sentinel quails were used to verify that the infected farms were free from AI virus before they were restocked. An epidemiological study revealed that the virus was likely to have been introduced into the infected area some time ago. Economic losses amounted to 874 million yen (US$9.75 million), mainly accounting for costs incurred by control and eradication measures and financial support for the infected farms and farms in the movement control areas.
Genistein, a soy phytoestrogen, is a powerful antioxidant. In the present study, we investigated the effects of dietary genistein
supplementation on Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) laying performance and egg yolk contents of malondialdehyde (MDA), vitamin A, and vitamin E. Malondialdehyde is an indicator
of lipid peroxidation, whereas vitamins A and E have antioxidant properties. Birds (n = 150; 5 wk old) were randomly assigned
to 1 of 3 groups consisting of 50 birds (5 replicates of 10) and were fed a basal diet or the basal diet supplemented with
either 400 or 800 mg of genistein/kg of diet. The experimental period lasted 90 d with a 17L:7D photo schedule. As antioxidant
indices, yolk MDA and vitamin (A and E) concentrations were measured by HPLC. Dietary genistein supplementation (800 mg/kg)
increased feed intake, egg production, egg weight, Haugh unit, shell thickness, and shell weight and improved feed efficiency
at a greater extent than the other levels (0 and 400 mg/kg). Egg yolk genistein concentration was increased (P < 0.0001), whereas egg yolk MDA concentration was decreased (P < 0.0001) at the highest level of genistein supplementation. However, genistein supplementation did not affect egg yolk daidzein,
vitamin A, and vitamin E levels. There was an inverse relationship between egg yolk genistein and MDA concentration (y = 0.02
× egenistein, R2 = 0.74, P < 0.0001). Results of the present study indicate that supplementing with dietary genistein (800 mg/kg) improved performance,
egg quality, and egg yolk genistein content and decreased egg yolk MDA concentration in quail.
The Japanese quail lays eggs with colourful and patterned shells which make the eggshell colour difficult to classify. In this study, the method of measuring colour of patchy eggs using image analyses and its power to discriminate among individual variation were established. Estimated repeatability for egg colour and proportion of patterned areas was high (>0.58), suggesting intermedíate or high heritability of eggshell colour characteristics. Three components have been identified as significant in discriminant function analysis. These three components explained 91.4% of the total variance in egg colour characteristics. In cluster analysis, 78.3% of the eggs that were collected from 15 females were correctly classified. This study indicates that eggshell colour characteristics can be reliably studied by image analyses and that this method can provide a unified character list for future examinations and interpretations of quail egg characteristics.
In general, there is a relative paucity of papers dealing with Japanese quail. The work of Wilson et al. (1956, 1959), Abplanalp (1960), Arrington et al. (1962), Wilson and Huang (1962), Abplanalp et al. (1962), Rexniers and Sacksteder (1960), Padgett and Ivey (1959), Abbot and Craig (1960), and Woodard and Wilson (1963) dealt primarily with various aspects of the use of these animals for poultry studies and as a research tool. A search of the sparse literature at the time of this study, presented practically no information with regard to the behavioral aspects of Coturnix.
This study²³ was undertaken with a view to making some observations on the behavior of Japanese Quail with respect to nesting activity and other associated and non-associated behavior under conditions approximating those found in nature, and to explore the value of using these animals in behavioral research.
An outdoor coop 4′ × 8′ was set …
1. Four Japanese quail lines were developed using 13 generations of reciprocal recurrent (lines AA and BB) or within-line selection (lines DD and EE) for high egg number until 98 d of age. In these lines and their reciprocal crosses, egg production, egg weight and mortality were monitored for up to 21 months to evaluate the impact of selection method and line origin on long-term production and heterosis. 2. Both hen-housed total egg number (EN) and hen-day egg laying rate (ELR) were consistently lower in recurrent lines than in lines under within-line selection: after 13 months of test, the difference was -47.1 eggs for EN and -20% for ELR%, whereas mortality was similar at around 20%. 3. Line EE was the best pure line for early egg production (55.2 eggs at 98 d of age) and also gave eggs which were consistently about 2 g larger than those from line DD but it had the highest overall mortality (78.5%) of all lines. On average, line DD laid 399 eggs (EN) over the whole experiment, 84 more than Line EE. 4. Crossbreds from the 2 types of pure lines and line DD had similar patterns and rates of egg production during the whole experiment, as indicated by the similarity of the curves adjusted for those lines by using the monomolecular model for EN and the modified compartmental model for ELR. 5. However, heterosis was higher from recurrent selection lines and it increased more with time than did heterosis from within-line selection lines.
The aim of this study was to investigate the possible hypocholesterolemic effects of Rhodobacter capsulatus on cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations in serum, egg-yolk, and fatty acid composition in egg-yolk of quails. A total of 60, 10-week-old laying Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) were randomly assigned into 3 treatment groups (20 quails/group), and fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 0.02, and 0.04% R. capsulatus for 6 weeks. Eggs and blood from each quail were collected at the end of the 6-week feeding period for chemical analysis. The cholesterol fractions in egg-yolk and serum were measured by enzymatic assay, and the fatty acid composition in egg-yolk was determined by gas chromatography. The results revealed that the supplementation of 0.04% dietary R. capsulatus reduced (P < 0.05) cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations in serum and in egg-yolk. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol was increased, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the atherogenic index were decreased (P < 0.05) by dietary R. capsulatus. Hepatic cholesterol was also reduced (P < 0.05) by 0.04% R. capsulatus. Yolk color was improved (P < 0.05) by 0.04% R. capsulatus supplemented diet. The concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were increased (P < 0.05) in egg-yolk of the quails fed the 0.04% R. capsulatus supplemented diet than the control diet. The ratio of PUFA to saturated fatty acids in egg-yolk was improved (P < 0.05) by 0.04% R. capsulatus supplemented diet. Therefore, the supplementation of dietary R. capsulatus may be a feasible means of producing quail eggs with lower cholesterol and higher PUFA content for health conscious consumers.
Around the world, there are 20 types of wild and about 70 domestic quail breeds or strains, including laboratory and commercial quail. Although all domestic quails were derived from wild strains, many obvious differences are evident today. However, how these differences occurred and which wild population was the first to be domesticated, remains unclear. This paper systematically presents the history of the development of domestic quail in China from 770 B.C. to the end of the 20 century. Taking into account recent research on some structural loci of domestic and wild quail, and in the light of recent survey reports of the present general situation of these birds, particularly in respect of their ecological performance and differences between wild and domestic quail, this review puts forward a new thesis forresolving the current uncertainty about the origin of domestic quail. It is suggested that unlike those of Japanese origin, Chinese quail are probably the earlier and more direct ancestorof most kinds of the domestic quail found around the world. Moreover, the review analyzes the possible evolutionary path to domestic quail, which is mainly a result of the flow of people from Japan to China. On the assumption that more and more wild quail populations are endangered, it aims to provide a basis forrenewing knowledge of wild quail resources and supporting the protection and use of these valuable worldwide stocks. This is especially important in China, the last country in the world to have so many wild quail populations. Furthermore, this new insight can promote and assist the world commercial quail industry to develop and flourish.
1. Japanese quail hens were housed from 6 to 26 weeks of age in cages providing areas of 150, 180, 210 and 240 cm/bird.2. Body weight gain, age at 50% egg production, mortality, hen‐day egg production and food conversion values showed significant improvement with proportionate increase in cage space per layer.3. Egg weight gradually increased with age but shell thickness was influenced neither by age of the hen nor by stocking density.4. Yolk index and colour were superior in the lowest stocking density (more cage space) group; other egg quality traits and egg weight were not influenced by stocking density.5. The albumen index, internal quality unit, yolk index and yolk colour values increased with age.
This experiment was carried out with 58-week old laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) assigned to four treatment groups with eight quails per replication in six repetitions in a completely randomized design. The treatments consisted of diets with different levels of flaxseed (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0%). The amounts of cholesterol and total lipids and the fatty acid composition of quail egg yolk were determined in four 21-day cycles. No difference was found in cholesterol levels between the four treatments and the four cycles. The increased ingestion of linolenic acid (LNA) in diet reduced the formation of arachidonic acid (AA) significantly. The 3.0 and 5.0% treatment groups presented a reduction in total saturated fatty acids (TSFA) with the increase in percent flaxseed in feed comparatively to the control value. The n-3 fatty acid level was high in all treatments when compared to that of the control group. The n-6/n-3 ratio decreased from 21.30 (control) to 4.52 (5.0%), which is a better value from the nutritional viewpoint.
For both egg production and laboratory research, Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) are typically housed in battery cages without nest boxes. In such cages the quail hens show symptoms of pre-laying restlessness. The inability to perform normal pre-laying behaviour is regarded as one of the most important problems for the welfare of caged laying hens. The present study aimed at identifying key nest site stimuli for quails, to enable nest boxes to be designed for alternative housing systems. Groups of hens were kept in pens containing litter, nest boxes and dustbathing boxes. The type of nest box was varied between pens, and the incidence of eggs laid outside the nest boxes (floor-eggs) was recorded over periods of 15 days. In experiment 1 (8 groups of 30 hens), both the nature of the top of the nest boxes (closed or with slits) and the type of substrate in the nest boxes (artificial turf or hay) had a significant effect on the percentage of floor-eggs. Nest boxes with a top with slits and filled with hay were best accepted for laying. Nest boxes situated in the corners of the pens were significantly selected more often for egg laying than more central nests. In experiment 2 (8 groups of 14 hens), neither the nature of the sides of the nest boxes (closed or with slits) nor the colour of the nest boxes (green or brown) had a significant effect on the incidence of floor-eggs. In experiment 3 (16 groups of 14 hens with 2 or 3 cocks), the percentage of floor-eggs was significantly lower in pens with high (170 lux) than with low (15 lux) light intensity. There was also a tendency for nest boxes filled with chaff to be better accepted than nest boxes filled with hay. In experiments 2 and 3, in pens with floors half litter and half of perforated plastic more floor-eggs were found on the litter. Few eggs were laid in the dustbathing boxes in any experiment. This study shows that Japanese quail lay up to 90% of eggs in nest boxes provided these are properly designed. It should therefore be feasible to develop housing systems with nests for Japanese quail which may replace conventional battery cages.
Two completely randomized trials were conducted to estimate protein requirements of Japanese quails during the rearing and laying periods. In each trial, 150 quails were distributed in five treatments with five repetitions. Crude protein levels in the rearing period were 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26% (Trial 1) and during the laying period were 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24% (Trial 2). A quadratic effect of protein level was observed on weight gain from seven to 35 days (Trial 1). There were no effects of protein levels on feed intake and feed conversion. Protein levels in experimental diets during rearing had no effect on egg production up to 63 days. However, laying was delayed and variation in body weight was greater in quails fed lower protein levels. In Trial 2, a quadratic effect of protein levels was seen on egg production and feed conversion; and a linear effect was seen on mean egg weight and feed intake. Crude protein levels of 23.08% and 21.95% were estimated by regression equations for rearing and laying, respectively.
1. The purpose of this study was to assess the incorporation of retinol into quail egg yolk and cholesterol concentration in response to supplementation with different quantities of retinyl palmitate (600, 1200, 2400 and 4800 microg). 2. Supplementations were performed weekly for 4 weeks and the yolk retinol was measured using high performance liquid chromatography. 3. The results showed a progressive increase in the incorporation of retinol into the egg yolk in response to supplementation, reaching values 384% higher than control values. 4. At the end of supplementation we observed a significant decrease in egg yolk retinol concentrations with supplementations of 2400 and 4800 microg, the most enduring showing high retinol contents even after 3 weeks. 5. Supplementation increased egg weight but neither egg production nor cholesterol levels were significantly altered.
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