Analysis of the Trend of Age-Related Laying Performance of Quail (Coturnix coturnix)

ABSTRACT For China yellow quail, Beijing white quail and Korean quail, number of eggs, total egg weight and laying rate begin to soar up with the increase of age from the 8 th week to 12 th week. Such growth rate declines gradually with the increase of age from the 12 th week to the 15 th week. The best regression equation for the number of eggs of Beijing white quail, Korean quail and Chinese yellow quail to week-age were: Y=-12.153+1.850X-0.003X 3 (R 2 =0.991), Y=-14.367+3.110X-0.121X 2 (R 2 =0.881) and Y=-12.096+2.954X-0.116X 2 (R 2 =0.833), respectively. The best regression equations of the total egg weight of Beijing white quail, Korean quail and Chinese yellow quail to week-age were: Y=-142.558+21.406X-0.037X 3 (R 2 =0.991), Y=-180.768+38.405X-1.508X 2 (R 2 =0.888) and Y=-150.305+34.794X-1.362X 2 (R 2 =0.882), respectively. The best regression equations of laying rate of Beijing white quail, Korean quail and Chinese yellow quail to week-age were: Y=-162.468+25.068X-0.043X 3 (R 2 =0.988), Y=-170.629+38.775X-1.503X 2 (R 2 =0.901) and Y=-115.539+32.834X-1.283X 2 (R 2 =0.835), respectively. The best regression equation of feed egg ratio of Beijing white quail was Y=34.482-4.695X+0.175X 2 (R 2 =0.929).