LAYING AND EGGS QUALITY OF QUAILS IN SEMI-INTENSIVE CONDITIONS IN EASTERN ALGERIA

This work investigates laying performances and egg quality of 200 quails during 266 laying days. The first collected 240 eggs, for the periods: 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44 weeks were used in this study. The average laying rate calculated over a period of 37 weeks is 74.44 %. All studied eggs quality parameters were significantly (p<0.001) influenced by the age of the quail. The average weight of the whole egg (13.66 g), yolk (3.99 g) and shell (2.28 g) reach their maximum value at the 40th week. The maximum albumen average weight (7.45 g) was observed at 32nd week. Albumen (12.02) and yolk (48.72) indices recorded their highest values at the 12th and the 16th weeks, respectively. The eggs freshness, expressed here by Haugh units decreased with age. They range from 89.56 at the 12th week to 83.71 at the 44th week of age. Yolk color registered values with irregular fluctuations (7.12 to 9.33) in a colorimetric scale of 15 ladders. Highly significant and positive correlations (p<0.001) and were recorded between the whole egg weight and the weight of albumen, yolk and shell. To conclude, the quail age affects significantly the various egg quality parameters.Le présent travail propose une évaluation des performances de ponte et de la qualité des œufs de cailles. Pour cette étude, les oeufs de 200 cailles ont été récoltés toutes les 4 semaines à partir de la 12ème semaine d"âge jusque la 44ème semaine d"âge. Pour chaque période de récolte, les 240 premiers oeufs ont été pris en compte. Le taux de ponte moyen calculé sur une période de 37 semaines est de 74,44 %. Tous les paramètres de qualité d"oeufs étudiés ont été significativement (p