Cereal Type in Diet and Housing System Influences on Growth Performance and Carcass Yield in Two Japanese Quail Genotypes

We assessed the effects of cereal type (corn-based, CB or rice-based, RB) and housing system (floor, F, or cage, C) on the performance of two Japanese quail genotypes (non-selected, JAP, and a Jumbo variety, JUM) in two, 2 × 2 factorially designed, experiments. In Exp. 1, during the 15-d experimental period, there were 4 experimental groups: JAP quail fed the CB diet, JAP-CB; JAP quail fed the RB diet, JAP-RB; JUM quail fed the CB diet, JUM-CB; JUM quail fed the RB diet, JUM-RB. Quail in each of the 4 groups (42 quail/group) were housed in 7 pens, each with 6 birds. In Exp. 2, there were also 4 experimental groups (42 quail/group, 7 pens, each with 6 birds) examined during a 19-d experimental period under two different rearing systems: JAP-F, JUM-F, JAP-CF and JUM-C. Genotype did not affect dry matter feed intake (DMI) in Exp. 1, but both JAP and JUM quail consumed more (P\u3c0.001) of the CB than RB diets. Average daily gain (ADG) was similarly higher (P\u3c0.001) in JAP-CB and JUM-CB quail compared to the other 2 treatment groups. Feed conversion (FC) differed (P\u3c0.001) as follows (best to worst): JUM-CB \u3e JAP-CB = JAP-RB = JUM-RB. Final BW was similarly higher (P\u3c0.001) in the JUM-CB, and JAP-CB groups compared to the JAP-RB and JUM-RB, groups and carcass yield (CY, P\u3c0.001) differed as follows: JUM-RB = JUM-CB = JAP-RB \u3e JAP-CB. In Exp. 2, DMI was similarly higher (P\u3c0.05) in the JAP-C, JUM-F, and JUM-C groups compared to JAP-F quail and ADG was notably higher (P=0.07) in JUM-F quail than the other 3 groups. Regardless of housing system, FC was better (P=0.04) in JUM quail. Although final BW was higher (P\u3c0.05) in F- than C-housed quail, CY was greater (P\u3c0.01) in caged birds. Final BW and CY were unaffected by quail genome and its interaction with housing system. With a few exceptions, better performance was generally observed in quail fed diets containing corn regardless of genotype (Exp. 1), while C-reared JUM quail generally outperformed the other genotype × housing system groups (Exp. 2)