1. The objective of this study was to estimate growth parameters of carcass components (wing, thighs and drumsticks, back and breast) and organs (heart, liver, gizzard and gut) in males and females of one meat-type quail strain (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) and two laying strains (Coturnix coturnix japonica) designated either yellow or red. 2. A total of 1350 quail from 1 to 42 d old were distributed in a completely randomised design, with 5 replicates of each strain. The carcass component weights and body organs were analysed weekly and evaluated using the Gompertz function; growth rates were evaluated through derivative equations. 3. The meat-type strain presented the highest growth rates in carcass components and organs. Across strains, females showed the highest weight of internal organs at maturity compared to males. 4. Females had greater growth potential in breast, wings and back than males for both yellow and red laying quail.

No abstract

Thermal lens (TL) is a key effect in laser engineering and photothermal spectroscopy. The amplitude of the TL signal or its dioptric power is proportional to the optical path difference (OPD) between the center and border of the beam, which is proportional to the heat power (Ph). Due to thermally induced mechanical stress and bulging of end faces of the sample, OPD depends critically on the geometry of the sample. In this investigation, TL measurements were performed as a function of the sample length keeping the same Ph. It is experimentally demonstrated that for materials with positive ∂n∕∂T OPD increases typically 30 to 50% with the decrease of sample length (from long rod to thin-disk geometry). For materials with negative ∂n∕∂T, this variation is much larger due to the cancelation of the different contributions to OPD with opposite signs. Furthermore, the experimental investigation presented here validates a recently proposed unified theoretical description of the TL effect.

The objective of this study was to estimate the growth parameters of body weight and body nutrient deposition in males and females of one meat-(Coturnix coturnix coturnix) and two laying-type quail strains (Coturnix coturnix japonica), designated either yellow or red, using the Gompertz model. A total of 1350 quail from 1 to 42 days of age were used and they were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five replications for each strain. The parameters of body weight and body composition of the quail were analyzed weekly and evaluated using the Gompertz equation; growth rates and body nutrient deposition were evaluated through derivative equations. The three strains evaluated showed differences in their potential, growth rates, and body chemical composition. The composition up to 42 days of age was not sufficient to adjust the fat deposition data using Gompertz. Due to the period evaluated, the Gompertz model allowed to verify that females have higher body growth rates when compared with males of the same strains, with accelerated growth up to 14 and 21 days of age for males and females, respectively. Regarding the laying strain, the red has greater growth, with similar potential in depositing protein and water in the carcass, but they are more precocious in the deposition of these nutrients.

-An experiment was conducted to determine the required levels of supplementary vitamin D and calcium in meat-type quail (Coturnix coturnix sp) between 15 and 35 days old. The experiment was a 4 × 4 factorial design with four levels of calcium: 0.42, 0.58, 0.74, and 0.90% and four levels of vitamin D: 1,000; 2,000; 3,000; and 4,000 IU. Body weight and body weight gain increased linearly and feed conversion showed some linear improvement due to increased levels of Ca and vitamin D. The increased vitamin D levels resulted in a linear increase in feed intake. Calcium and vitamin D requirements in meat-type quail between 15 and 35 days of age is greater or equal to 0.90% Ca and greater or equal to 4,000 IU of vitamin D, probably because the experiment was conducted during the pre-laying phase.

An experiment was conducted to estimate the nutritional requirements of calcium ( Ca ) and available phosphorus ( aP ) for Japanese quails ( Coturnix coturnix japonica ) in the egg-laying stage (64–168 D). The experiment was an entirely randomized design, in a factorial scheme (Ca = 1.70, 2.40, 3.10, and 3.80% and aP = 0.15, 0.30, 0.45, and 0.60%), with 3 replicates and 10 quails per experimental unit. No interactions were found for quail body weight and daily feed intake ( DFI ) ( P > 0.05). However, body weight decreased linearly ( P < 0.05) as the levels of Ca increased, whereas DFI exhibited a quadratic effect ( P < 0.05) for both Ca and aP. The lowest values of DFI were estimated in 2.79 and 0.36% for Ca and aP, respectively. Egg production, egg mass, and feed conversion ratio per egg dozen presented significant interaction in which all of them had a quadratic effect ( P < 0.05), with estimations for maximum yield in feed containing 2.74, 2.71, 2.75, and 2.74% Ca and 0.40, 0.39, 0.39, and 0.40% aP. The concentration of Ca in the eggshell increased linearly as per the levels of Ca studied, having a quadratic effect for aP levels, with a maximum point of 0.44%. In relation to the bone parameters, there was a linear interaction for Ca and aP in bone density and bone resistance ( BR ) of the femur, with a quadratic effect in BD estimating 2.84 and 0.50% for Ca and aP, respectively. In BR, the estimation was 3.27% Ca, with linear increase for aP. The BR of the tibiotarso increased linearly as per the Ca levels, obtaining the same Ca concentration response in this bone. As conclusion, when considering the estimations obtained through overlapped contour plots, the best responses to the effects of Ca and aP on productive characteristics were estimated at 2.68% Ca and 0.38% aP to produce feed for egg-laying Japanese quails.

No abstract

No abstract