Sire influence on reproductive, performance characteristics and growth traits in three strains of Japanese quail raised in the humid tropics

A total of 270 pedigreed-hatched day old chicks of three strains of Japanese quail generated from a base population of 45 adult Japanese quails were used to estimate the influence of sire on the hatchability and growth performance of the birds. Japanese quail strains used were Cinnamon Brown x Cinnamon Brown (CBxCB), Panda White x Cinnamon Brown (PWxCB) and Silver Brown x Cinnamon Brown (SBxCB). The experiment was a randomized complete block design. Parameters measured include: fertility and hatchability traits, growth performance traits and linear body parameters. The results showed that, average percentage range of fertility (71.64-75.76 %), hatchability (50.08-57.17%), dead in germ (55.00- 69.08%), dead in shell (11.20-18.225%) were significantly (P <0.05) better in Pander White (PW) sired progeny while number piped (13.06-20.11 %), brooding (3.00-4.6 %) and rearing (1.00-1.33 %) mortalities showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the three sired progeny. The work also revealed that final body weight (153.79-159.78 g), daily weight gain (2.10- 2.19 g), daily feed intake (24.59-25.48 g), and feed conversion ratio (11.65-11.93) showed no significant difference (P>0.05) among the three sired progeny. The lower feed intake obtained in this experiment suggests that the feed given to these birds were able to meet up their dietary energy requirement. Panda White sired progeny gave the best feed conversion ratio. For the linear body parameters, PWxCB strain had higher thigh length (4.76 cm), breast width (7.44 cm), body length (12.09 cm), keel length (6.79 cm), and shank length (3.34 cm). The results indicate that Panda White sired progeny should be selected for better hatchability and growth performance for enhanced breeding program in the study area.Keywords: Sire, reproduction, hatchability, morphometric traits, growth performance,Japanese quail