the effect of divergent selection for 4-wk body weight on growth curve parameters and carcass components in japanese quail (coturnix coturnix japonica)

this study has been carried out to investigate the effect of short-term divergent selection for 4-wk body weight on growth curve parameters and carcass components in japanese quail. quail lines utilized were two divergently selected for high (hw) and low (lw) 4-wk body weight (bw) as well as a line as control (c). the results of the study indicated that quails in hw line had heavier bw than those in lw and in c lines from 6 and 11-d thereafter respectively. moreover there was a significant difference for growth rate between lines from 4-d of age. to investigate the changes in carcass components, quails were slaughtered at 32 and 42-d of age. results indicated that quails in hw line had significantly heavier carcass, thigh, heart, lung, liver, small intestine and breast dimensions (length, depth & weight) than quails in lw line for both age groups (p