Meat Yield Potentiality of the Plumage Color Mutations of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

In this study, the Wild-type and recently-isolated five color-mutations of Japanese quail were compared for their meat yield potentialities. Results showed that the color-mutations; BB-White, BB-Tuxedo, BBBlack, BB-Dhakaya and the Wild-type quail were more fertile (p < 0.01) than the BB-Rosetta mutation. Chick mortality was higher (p < 0.01) in the BB-Tuxedo than in the Wild-type and other mutations. The 6 th week body weight was lowest in the Wild-type followed by intermediate in BB-Black and BB-White and the highest in BB-Tuxedo, BB-Rosetta and BB-Dhakaya, respectively. The ranking of the mutations in terms of feed efficiencies were: BB-Rosetta > BB-Dhakaya > BB-White > BB-Tuxedo > BB-Black > Wild. The Wild, BB-Tuxedo, BB-White and BB-Black were superior (p < 0.01) to other mutations for their dressing yields. For combined performance index values, the ranking of the mutations were: BBWhite > BB-Tuxedo > BB-Dhakaya > BB-Black > Wild > BB-Rosetta. This study suggested that the isolated color-mutations were not equal for majority of their characteristics measured and none of them was completely superior or inferior to the Wild-type. The BB-White, BB-Tuxedo, BB-Dhakaya and BBBlack were superior to the Wild-type quail for their combined performance index on the meat production potentialities. However, among the four superior mutations, the BB-White might get priority in meat-type quail development due to its resemblance to the modern chicken broilers.