Shekhmous H. Hussen*(1) Asia M. Hassan(1) Jameela H. Salih(1) and Khabat N. Hussein(1)
(1). Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.
(*Corresponding author: Dr. Shekhmous H. Hussen. E-Mail: sheikhmous68@gmail.com).
Received: 13/01/2020 Accepted: 12/03/2020
Abstract
A total of 54 birds aged 42 days old from both sexes (equally) of different quail genotypes resulted from complete diallel cross design of three lines (White-W, Light brown-L and Dark brown-D) were used in the present study. The trial was conducted at Animal Production Dept., College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Duhok, Sumail, KR-Iraq, during 2016. The aim was to investigate the carcass characteristics of the quail genotypes. Live body weight and the following carcass characteristics; blood, feather, shank, head, gizzard, heart, liver, thigh, drumstick, breast, back, neck, wing and dressing carcass (with giblets) were weighed (gm.). The results showed that there were significant differences among studied genotypes and between both sexes, in addition to their interaction. In general, the best genotype for carcass characteristics was LL line; but for some main cuts, economic cuts and inedible out-parts, the DW reciprocal cross shared LL line the superiority; while for gizzard weight, the DL reciprocal cross recorded the superiority compared to the rest genotypes. However, the average carcass weights as affected by genotype were ranged from 118.5 – 144.5 gm. The females recorded higher values than males for all significant characters. The interaction between genotype and sex appeared that few genotypes interacted significantly with specific sex (female). As conclusion, the crosses didn’t appear any superiority for carcass characteristics; while a specific line and specific reciprocal cross appeared superiority in specific characters.
Key words: Quail, Lines, Crosses, Carcass weights.
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