-The objective of this study was to compare fattening performance, carcass traits, and egg quality of Japanese quails with different feather colors (white, dark brown, golden, and wild-type). In the study, 360 one-day-old quail chicks with 4 different feather colors were used as animal material. Quails were fed ad libitum for 42 days to determine fattening performance and carcass traits. To determine egg traits, 48 hens from each group, in a total of 192, were selected and caged according to feather color. Eggs were collected for four consecutive weeks and egg quality characteristics were measured. Different feather colors had a significant effect on live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and carcass characteristics. Significant differences between the groups were detected for egg weight, specific gravity, shape index, shell weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, albumen index, and yolk index. Japanese quails with all four feather colors can be reared depending on the choice. However, due to lower feed conversion ratio, white-feathered quails may be preferred for meat production purposes. Color variations should be considered when selecting quails.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemented thyme oil extract and thyme water extract, the water soluble fraction of thyme extract, on fattening performance, blood parameters, oxidative stress and DNA damage in Japanese quails. Two hundred sixteen chicks were divided into four groups: control (no antibiotic or thyme extracts (I), fl avomycin (II), thyme oil extract (III) and thyme water extract (IV). Groups II and III received 1 g/kg fl avomycin as an antibiotic and 2.5 ml/kg thyme oil extract, respectively. Birds in group IV received 100 ml/l of thyme water extract in their drinking water. There were no signifi cant differences in liveweight between the treatment groups, but feed intake differed (P<0.01) at 0-5 weeks of age. Results showed that thyme extracts decreased feed consumption during the experiment. Similarly, the survival rate differed signifi cantly (P<0.01) between groups; the lowest was in antibiotic group. The levels of plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein and alkaline phosphates were similar in the four treatments. The highest rate of total oxidant status and total antioxidant response were found in group III, the lowest rate of DNA damage in the thyme oil (III) and thyme water extracts (IV) groups. It was concluded that supplementing thyme extract products in the diet of quails at the doses studied does not lead to a negative effect on the growth performance of the birds. Supplemented antibiotic caused an elevation in the oxidative stress index and in DNA damage.

No abstract

-The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemented juniper berry (Juniperus communis) on fattening performance and some carcass traits of quails. A total of 150 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into five groups (one control and four treated groups) with three replicates. Four different juniper berry levels (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) and a control treatment (0%) were added to the diet. Juniper berry supplementation to the diets initiated at the end of the 1st week and sustained for seven weeks. Live weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio during the trial and some carcass traits after slaughter were determined. Juniper berry supplementation in the diet during seven weeks of growing period significantly increased body weight, cumulative feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of the treated groups. Carcass weight, carcass yield, and breast yield were also significantly increased by supplemented juniper berry. No significant difference was observed between viability of different groups. Supplementation of 0.5-1% juniper berry in quail diets has positive impacts on fattening performance and carcass traits.

Özet Bu çalışma, Muş ilinde ekstansif ve yarı entansif şartlarda yapılan kaz yetiştiriciliğin mevcut durumunun ortaya konulması ve yetiştiricilikte karşılaşılan önemli sorunların tespit edilmesi amacıyla yapılmıştır. Çalışmanın materyalini, Muş ili merkez, Hasköy, Bulanık, Malazgirt, Varto ve Korkut ilçelerine bağlı ve kaz yetiştiriciliğinin yoğun olarak yapıldığı köylerdeki 105 adet kaz üreticisinden elde edilen veriler oluşturmuştur. Araştırma bulgularına göre; Muş ilinde, üreticilerin hiçbirinin kaz yetiştiriciliği konusunda eğitim almadığı ve yetiştiricilik yapma sürelerinin ortalama 17 yıl olduğu belirlenmiştir. İşletme başına damızlık dişi kaz sayısının ortalama 18 adet, damızlık erkek kaz sayısının ise 8 adet olduğu saptanmıştır. Kaz barınaklarının büyüklüğünün ortalama 50 m 2 olduğu ve genellikle briket malzemeden yapıldığı belirlenmiştir. Kazların genellikle 4 haftalık yaşta iken meraya çıkarıldığı ve günde 2 kez yemlendiği saptanmıştır. Yetiştiricilerin %67'sinin hastalıklara karşı hiçbir önlem almadığı, %30'unun vitamin, ilaç vb. kullandığı, %3'ünün ise aşı yaptırdığı belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak; Muş ilinde yapılan kaz yetiştiriciliğinin yapısı ve sorunlarının ülke geneli ile benzer olduğu ve üretimin daha çok ailenin et ihtiyacını karşılamak amacıyla yapıldığı saptanmıştır. Üreticilerin başta gelen sorunlarının; eğitim yetersizliği, hastalıklar, kullanılan düşük verimli ırklar, bakım-besleme konusundaki yetersizlikler ve pazarlamada karşılaşılan sorunlar olduğu söylenilebilir.