Productive characteristics of meat quails reared in different environments

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ambient temperature and consumption on the performance, carcass yields and cuts, organs, and body temperatures of meat quails. The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Maranhão, campus of Chapadinha-MA, during September to October 2013. From the 14th day of age, 450 meat quails, not sexed, with an average initial weight of 90.4 ± 12.9 g, were distributed in batteries and accommodated in either acclimatized or non-acclimatized rooms, until 42 days of age. The experimental design was completely randomized, with three treatments, and six replicates of 25 birds each. The treatments were CE (acclimatized environment at 26 °C); NE (natural environment), and CECC (acclimatized environment at 26 °C with controlled feed, to keep the same consumption level as that of the birds in NE). The evaluated variables at 28 and 42 days of age were as follows: (1) the intake of feed, weight gain, feed conversion, body weight, and energy efficiency to weight gain, (2) the carcass weight, carcass yields (%) for breast, thigh, drumstick, and wing, and (3) the relative weights (%) of the digestive tract, heart, liver, gizzard, and intestine. In addition, we evaluated the cloacal and surface temperatures (°C), and subsequently, calculated the average and surface body temperatures. The treatment means were compared using the Student-Newman-Keuls test, with 5% level of significance. Compared with the acclimatized ambient environment, the natural environment more favored the performance of quails up to 28 days, but then affected it negatively from that age onward. Carcass yield, organs, and internal temperature of the quails maintained in the acclimatized and natural environments were not influenced. Universidade Federal do Maranhão, campus de Chapadinha-MA, no período de setembro a outubro de 2014. A partir do 14º dia de idade, 450 codornas de corte, não sexadas, com o peso inicial médio de 90,4 ± 12,9g, foram distribuídas em baterias, acondicionadas em sala climatizada e não climatizada, até o 42° dia. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos e seis repetições de 25 aves. Os tratamentos consistiram em: AC (Ambiente climatizado com temperatura de 26°C); AN (Ambiente natural) e ACCC (Ambiente climatizado com temperatura de 26°C com alimentação controlada para manter o mesmo consumo das aves mantidas no AN). Foi avaliado o consumo de ração, ganho de peso, conversão alimentar, peso vivo, eficiência energética para ganho de peso; o peso de carcaça, rendimentos (%) de carcaça, peito, coxa, sobrecoxa e asa; os pesos relativos (%) do trato digestório, coração, fígado, moela e intestino aos 28 e aos 42 dias. Também foram avaliadas as temperaturas (°C) cloacais e superficiais, e posteriormente, calculadas a superficial média e corporal média. As médias dos tratamentos foram comparadas pelo teste SNK considerando o nível de 5% de significância. O ambiente natural melhorou o desempenho das codornas até os 28 dias, prejudicando a...

Bioclimatic zoning for quails in the rain season in the state of Paraíba, Brazil

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