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QUAIL FARMING AS DIVERSIFICATION VENTURE IN RURAL INDIA. By Dr. Avishek Biswas Senior Scientist. Avian Nutrition & Feed Technology Division Central Avian Research Institute Izatnagar, Bareilly-243122 (U.P.), India. Introduction. Class : Aves Family : Phasianidae
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QUAIL FARMING AS DIVERSIFICATION VENTURE IN RURAL INDIA By Dr. Avishek Biswas Senior Scientist Avian Nutrition & Feed Technology Division Central Avian Research Institute Izatnagar, Bareilly-243122 (U.P.), India
Introduction • Class : Aves • Family : Phasianidae • Genus : Coturnix • Scientific name: Coturnix coturnix Japonica • Hindi name : “Bater”
History • First domesticated in Japan in 1595. • There are two species of quail in India: • a) The black-breasted quail found in jungle (Coturnix Coromandelica) • b) The brown-coloured Japanese Quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) • Introduced in India in 1974 from California. • There are 45 species of quail although the Japanese quail is the largest species • Why quail farming? • Hardy • Easy to handle • Adopt to varied environment • Fast growing bird and short generation interval • 3-4 generations in a year • Pilot animal for genetic, nutritional and physiological studies. • As a source of egg and meat production • Popular in the countries like Japan, Hongkong, Singapore and France.
Quail farming as economically viable and technically feasible • Very short generation interval • Quails are very robust to diseases • No vaccination is required • Low space requirement • Early maturity • Very high laying intensity- female starts laying at an age of 42 days • Practical Utility • Quail offered an opportunity to alternative the chicken farming • It is useful as table delicacy • Pilot animal for research and education
Difference b/w Male & Female • Females are heavier (200-250 g) than male (180-200g) • Female:long & pointed feathers with black speckles on the throat and upper breast. • Male:rusty brown throat and breast feathers, cloacal gland. Female/Male Japanese Quail
Housing • Deep litter system • 6 quails can be reared in a sq.ft. of floor space. • After 2 weeks, Quails can be reared in cages. • This will help to gain good body weight. • Each unit is about 6 feet in length and 1 foot in width, and subdivided into 6 subunits. • The cages can be arranged up to 6 tiers high. • Bottom of the cage is fixed with removable wooden plates • Long narrow feed troughs are placed in front of the cages. • Water troughs are placed at the back of the cages. • Commercial egg layers are usually housed in colonies of 10-12 birds per cage. Cage System
Feed Management Feed can be formulated as follows. • Feed material should be made of small particles • A 5 weeks old quail consumes about 500 gms of feed • Quails of 6 month old, consumes about 30-35 gms of feed per day. • Quails require about 400 gms feed for the production of 12 eggs. • The particle size is reduced by grinding the feed for one more time.
Feeding • Classified as, Starter (0-4 wks), Finisher (4-6wks) and layer or breeder (6 wks onwards). • Starter period is more crucial and needs special management and feeding care. • Balanced and higher nutrient is required • Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is an average 1.75-1.80
Egg production • Smaller eggs than chicken • Average age at first egg production is about 50 days • Average egg production 280-300/year • Eggs laid between 3-5 pm • Eggs are multicoloured (dark brown, white, buff, blue etc) • Eggs wt. is 10-12 g • 7-8% of the hen’s body weight. Composition of Quail Egg (Whole, Raw)
Quail meat • What is the acceptance or popularity of Quail meat and egg? • Quail meat / egg are now widely accepted in India. • Small size of quail egg as alternative to chicken egg. • They make attractive snacks or salad ingredients. • Value addition is possible with products like egg pickles, brined quail eggs etc.
Is quail meat preferred over chicken meat? • YES • According to Gourmets, it is tastier than chicken. • Quail meat promotes body and brain development in children • Best balanced feed for pregnant and nursing mothers. • Less fat content (Low calorific value) but more of phospholipds. • Is quail farming a suitable option in terms of meat and egg production? • Early marketing age • Early sexual maturity • High rate of lay (280-300 eggs per year) • Occupation of a minimum floor space • Eight to ten birds can be kept in the same space housing a single chicken
Incubation and hatching • Incubators that are used for hatching chicken eggs can be used • A wire mesh or grid of 1.5 x 1 inch should be fitted on the setter trays • Incubation period for quail eggs is 18 days. • Eggs should be stored at 130C at 80% RH for 5-7 days • Fumigated with formaldehyde gas for 20 minutes before storage. • Incubation requirement are as follows:
If you are going for such operations of producing chicks at your farm, following information may be of help to you: • Male / female ratio in the parent stock should be 1:2 or less. • Quails start laying eggs at the age of 6 weeks, Quails lay most of the eggs during evening hours (Between 3 to 6 PM). • Fertile eggs from the female of age 10 to 20 weeks can be collected • Eggs should be collected very frequently and carefully • Eggs should be stored at 550 F with 70% relative humidity before incubation. • Management of quail chicks • The day old quail chicks usually weigh 8-10 g. • The quail chicks need more temperature. • Absence of adequate temperature and exposure to high speed cool wind leads to clustering of young ones, which results in high mortality.
Quail diseases • Quails are very sensitive during first 2 wks of their life • Quails are not vaccinated • No dewormer used • Resistant to 8 starins of Eimeria pathogenic to chicken • Brooder pneumonia reported in quails (use calcium propionate@2kg/tonnes feed). • Ulcerative enteritis (Clostridium colinum) • Sterptomycin, bacitricin, and neomycin @50-100g/tonnes of feed. • Mortality rate 5-10%
Where to get parent birds or adult quails? • Director, Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, Dist. Bareilly, • Uttar Pradesh, Pin: 243122 • A.V.M Hatcheries & Poultry Breeding Center Pvt. Ltd. 25 / 327, RangaiGauder Street, Coimbatore Pin: 641001 • Director, Central Poultry Breeding Farm, Govt of India located at • a. Aarey colony, Goregaon (E), Mumbai.- 400065 • b. Hessarghatta, Bangalore (North)-560088 • c. Nayapalli, Bhubaneshwar-751012 • d. Industrial Area, Chandigarh-160002 • 4. M/s VenkateshwarHacheries Pvt. Ltd. Quail Unit at Naigaon, Pune, C/o Dr. B.V. Rao, IPMT At/PO - Urulikanchan, Pune – 412202