1. Head injuries caused by aggressive pecking are an important welfare problem in quail farming. The aim of experiments one to three was to reduce the rate of aggressive pecking in breeder groups. 2. The quails were housed in pens containing litter, nest boxes and a dustbathing box. The experimental groups consisted of 2/14, 3/14, 5/15 or 5/35 (males/hens) quails which were introduced into the experimental pens at the age of 4, 6 or 7 weeks. 3. None of the 5 factors that varied between the pens (visual barriers, age of introduction into the pens, number of hens per 5 males, number of males per 14 hens and light intensity) had a significant effect on the rate of aggressive pecking interactions between males. 4. Because of serious head injuries 20%, 17.5% and 12.5% (experiments 1, 2, 3) of the males had to be removed from their groups. 5. In single-male groups containing 8, 12, 16 and 20 hens (experiment 4) the percentages of fertilised eggs were 92%, 84%, 77% and 69% (medians, n = 4 pens per group size). N...

http://evolution.data.unibe.ch/WelfarePdfs/Wechsler_BPS1998.pdf

Aggressive pecking by males in breeding groups of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica).

Activity of phospholipases A and lysophospholipase in turkey semen and oviducal fluid.

Lighting and Sex Ratio for Breeding Ringnecked Pheasants in Confined Housing

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of mating ratio (male: female) and vitamin E -Selenium supplementation on egg production and egg weight of quail breeders. Total 720 Japanese quails of ten weeks of age with an average of 50% egg production were divided into four groups A, B, C and D having male: female mating ratio of 1:1, 1:2, 1:3 and 1:4 respectively. All the four groups were further sub-divided into vitamin E -Selenium supplemented (at the rate of 1ml/6 liters of drinking water) and control sub-groups. Each sub-group was further replicated three times with 30quails/replicate. Egg production was significantly (P<0.05) affected by mating ratio and vitamin E - Selenium supplementation. The egg production was highest (72 %) in ratio 1:4 while the least (52 %) in 1:1 ratio. The egg production with the supplementation of vitamin E -Selenium was highest (77 %) in ratio 1:4 while the least (52 %) in 1:1 ratio. Egg weight was significantly (P<0.05) affected by mating ratio but vitamin E -Selenium supplementation had no significant (P<0.05) effect on egg weight. The highest egg weight was (12.2g) for 1:3 mating group while least was (10.25gm) for 1:1 mating group.

W. D. Resseguie

Papers

Effect of male to female ratios on reproduction of caged coturnix D1 breeders.

An Evaluation of Gelatin as a Diluent Component for Storage of Chicken Semen

Catabolism of Phospholipids by Chicken Seminal Components After Storage