No abstract

This study was carried out to identify the white plumage in Japanese quail and compare it with the brown-type quail for possible genetic and phenotypic differences associated with the plumage colour, estimate the genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients between both body weight (BW) and shank length (SL) at different ages from hatch up to 35 days of age based on weekly intervals and the age at the first egg (AFE), number of days needed to produce the first 10 eggs (DN 10 ), number of days needed to produce the first 30 eggs (DN 30 ), age at first 10 eggs (AGE 10 ), age at first 30 eggs (AGE 30 ), egg mass of the first 10 eggs (EM 10 ), egg mass of the first 30 eggs (EM 30 ), number of eggs produced in the first month (EN FM ), number of eggs produced in the second month (EN SM ), number of eggs produced in the first two months (ENF TM ), egg mass for the first month (EM FM ), egg mass for the second month (EM SM ) and egg mass of the first two months (EM FTM ) which individually recorded by bird.The main results are summarized as the following:1-The brown genotype had significantly heavier BW at the ages 21, 28, 35 day and at sexual maturity, where longer SL at 7 and 21 day of age than the white genotype. The white genotype had significantly heavier BW at one day old than the brown genotype.2-The brown genotype matured at earlier age than the white genotype (P≤0.05) by 6.08 days. However, the white genotype had longer days that needed to produce the first 30 eggs(P≤0.05) by 8.66 days and attained the first 10 and 30 eggs at later ages (27.32 and 38.34 days of age) than the brown genotype.The brown genotype showed numerically higher estimates(P≥0.05) for DN 10 , EM 10 , EM 30 , EN FM , EN FTM , EM FM , EM SM and EM FTM than the white genotype.In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that there were significant differences between the two genotypes, brown and white in the phenotypic and genetic parameters of most studied traits favoring significantly the brown quail for growth traits except BW1 and numerically egg production-related traits (DN 10 , EM 10 , EM 30 , EN FM , EN FTM , EM FM , EM SM and EM FTM) than the white quail that could be used in breeding programs to improve these genotypes.

The present investigation was carried out to estimate the effects of genotype and sex on growth and laying performance and assess the variations in plasma constituents in the tested genotypes and their relations with productive traits after four generations of selection. Data of growth and laying performance on 1440 females and males of Japanese quail were taken from the three quail genotypes: maternal (MG), long shank length (LSG28) and control (CG) genotypes. Genotype significantly affected all studied growth productive traits, favouring selected genotypes. The LSG28surpassed MG in total protein, albumin (Alb), globulin (Glob), triglycerides and Alb/Glob ratio and lowered both cholesterol and total lipids (TL). Sex significantly favoured females, which had higher body weight, longer shank length at 35 days of age and higher body weight gain during the period from 1 to 35 days of age. Females showed significantly higher concentrations of both Alb and TL than males. The MG exceeded LSG28in fertility and hatchability per cent. Correlations for both growth and productive traits with plasma constituents revealed inconsistent trends in either magnitude or direction. Four generations of selection resulted in substantial phenotypic improvements in most growth and productive traits, as well as plasma constituents studied in LSG28, and favoured MG in maturity, days needed to produce the first ten eggs, higher egg production per cent and heavier egg mass.

The main objectives of this study were to detect the most appropriate random regression model (RRM) to fit the data of monthly egg production in 2 lines (selected and control) of Japanese quail and to test the consistency of different criteria of model choice. Data from 1,200 female Japanese quails for the first 5 months of egg production from 4 consecutive generations of an egg line selected for egg production in the first month (EP1) was analyzed. Eight RRMs with different orders of Legendre polynomials were compared to determine the proper model for analysis. All criteria of model choice suggested that the adequate model included the second-order Legendre polynomials for fixed effects, and the third-order for additive genetic effects and permanent environmental effects. Predictive ability of the best model was the highest among all models (ρ = 0.987). According to the best model fitted to the data, estimates of heritability were relatively low to moderate (0.10 to 0.17) showed a descending pattern from the first to the fifth month of production. A similar pattern was observed for permanent environmental effects with greater estimates in the first (0.36) and second (0.23) months of production than heritability estimates. Genetic correlations between separate production periods were higher (0.18 to 0.93) than their phenotypic counterparts (0.15 to 0.87). The superiority of the selected line over the control was observed through significant (P < 0.05) linear contrast estimates. Significant (P < 0.05) estimates of covariate effect (age at sexual maturity) showed a decreased pattern with greater impact on egg production in earlier ages (first and second months) than later ones. A methodology based on random regression animal models can be recommended for genetic evaluation of egg production in Japanese quail.

Glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity was investigated in the liver, red blood cells (RBC) and blood plasma (BP) of different chicken genotypes. Signifi cant differences among genotypes and age groups were found in liver GSHPx activity during embryonic development and in day-old chickens. Breed, sex and age effects were found in RBC and BP from one day of age until peak egg production. A negative correlation was found between embryo liver GSHPx activity and egg weight (-0.24; P≤0.01), between RBC and BP GSHPx activity and body weight (-0.32 and -0.44; P≤0.01), and between liver and RBC GSHPx activity (-0.54; P≤0.01), while positive correlations were demonstrated between liver and BP (0.66; P≤0.01) and BP and RBC (0.32; P≤0.01) GSHPx activity. In conclusion, variation in GSHPx activities in different chicken breeds during development suggests that it is genetically regulated. This fi nding indicates that GSHPx activity may be useful in selection.

Egypt apanese quail (Coturnix japonica) are an economically important species valued for its egg, meat, and as a biological animal model in Asia, Europe, the most popular molecular markers were the RAPD, described first by Welsh and McClelland (1990). RAPD were commonly used for the genetic mapping and selection criteria for characters in poultry.DNA fingerprint patterns (Piao et al., 2003) were characterized in two lines of Japanese quail that are differentiated by large and small body sizes and developed by selection. RAPD methods have been used to detect specific markers, genetic similarity in Japanese quail lines (Sharma et al., 2000;Karabağ and Balcioğlub, 2010). Mansour et al. (2010) investigated the variations within four phenotypes of Japanese quail using RAPD and ISSR markers. The second widely used DNA marker is based on MS, SSR which are efficient for estimating genetic variation between populations of the same species. The modern genetic tools developed specifically for quail analyses were MS J

Three quail lines were used in this work to study the effects of mass selection for increased body weight or growth rate: HBW 42 line was selected for high body weight at 42 day of age, HGR 1-42 line was selected for high growth rate during the period from one-day to 42 day of age and randombred control line (RBC) was maintained as non-selected pedigreed population over three generations of selection. The following results were obtained:There was an asymmetry in the direct response to selection in the male and female BW and GR favoring females. After three generations of mass selection, the HBW 42 line exceeded the RBC by 8.40g (4.81%) and 13.66g (7.53%) for males and females, respectively. The regression coefficients were higher for females than males after the 3 rd generation being 2.28g (1.295%) for females vs 0.475 g (0.315%) for males than the RBC. After three generations of mass selection, GR 1-42 line decreased from 184.1 to 183.8% for males and 184.9 to 184.2% for females. Females had significantly higher response on generation number either as a deviation or as a percent deviation from the controls. The ratios of effective to the realized selection differentials for the selected lines and sex groups were more than unity, except for females in the 1 st generation of selection for HGR 1-42 line which was indicating that natural selection for fitness did operate in the opposite direction of artificial selection. The more than unity ratios in all sex groups of the HBW 42 line and males of HGR 1-42 line indicated that natural selection did not affect artificial selection. Selection yielded, with few exceptions, consistently lower heritability estimates in the selected lines, regardless of the estimation method. The unweighted mean of heritability estimates either for male or female progeny weights indicated that non-additive, primarily and maternal effects may be affected body weights. The larger h 2 S for females of HGR 1-42 line in the 2 nd and 3 rd generations of selection than h 2 D indicated sex-linked effects. Females had considerably higher realized heritabilities than males. The realized heritabilities obtained for the HGR 1-42 line were generally higher than those for the HBW 42 line (0.69 vs 0.41). Generally, as generation number increased realized heritabilities for the selected traits in all sex groups decreased. The rate of decline in magnitude of heritabilities was higher in the HGR 1-42 line than the HBW 42 line. Whereas, the heritabilities of all sex groups for the RBC were higher than those for the selected lines. It can be concluded that the direct response for HBW 42 line was greater than those of the line selected for HGR 1-42 compared to their controls.

Objective : Evaluation of the effect on N-Acetyl cyslcinc (NAC) as an adjuvant therapy to ovulalion induction using clomiphene citrate (CC) in cases prepared for Intra-cytoplasmic -sperm injection (ICSI).Design : Prospective randomized controlled study. Material and Methods :Forty infertile women (male factor or lubal factor infertility) were included in the study in two equal groups (20 each) selected at random (Group I): controls: receiving 50mg CC tablets twice daily from day 2-6 of the cycle, (Group II): study group: receiving, in addition to the same dose of CC, Acctyl cysteinc (1200 mg tds/day) from day 2 to day 8 of the cycle. The patients were monitored using serial transvnginal ultrasound, and serum E2, FSH and progesterone were measured as well as urinary LH levels. The two groups were compared regarding the outcomes which included th enumber and qualtiy of oocytcs, fertilization, embryo-transfer, and pregnancy and aholion rales..Results : There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the outcomes (fertilization, embryo transfer, pregnancy rates, abortion rates, cleavage and oocyte maturity and quality). However, there was a trend (non-significant) towards an increase in mitotic figures in granulosa cells of the group receiving NAC. Conclusion:Despite the lack of statistical significance between the outcome data of the two groups, iherc was a trend towards an increase in pregnancy and abortion rates as well as mitotic figures in granulosa cells in the NAC group. A larger number of cases would probably provide more meaningful conclusions.