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0Effect of Non Genetic Factors on Growth Traits in Short Term Selection for Different Ages in Japanese quail
A. ASHOK1,2* and R. PRABAKARAN3
1 Department of Poultry Science, Madras Veterinary College, TANUVAS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India 2 Present address: Assistant Professor, College of Food and Dairy Technology, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Koduvalli, Alamathi Post, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India.
3 Vice-Chancellor, Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamilnadu, India
Corresponding author's email: ashokvet13@gmail.com ABSTRACT
Meat type Japanese quail were subjected to three different methods of individual phenotypic selection viz., high two week body weight, four week body weight and high four week body weight coupled with low relative body weight gain between 4-6 weeks of age for three generations. The lines, generations, sexes and hatches had significant (P<0.01) effect on the body weight at hatch, 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 weeks of age, except the influence of sex on body weight at hatch which was not found to be significant. In base generation (S0), the least squares means of body weights at hatch, 1,2,3,4,5 and six weeks of age were 8.31±0.04, 38.53±0.29, 82.72±0.60, 120.13±0.74, 148.34 ±0.85, 173.15±0.89 and 191.15±1.04 g, respectively. The corresponding means were 8.04±0.04, 38.84±0.30, 77.51±0.61, 110.71±0.75, 144.77±0.86, 170.27±0.90 and 190.81±1.06 g in first generation (S1); 8.93±0.04, 41.41±0.28, 78.81±0.58, 128.68±0.71, 165.83±0.82, 184.27±0.86 and 202.84 g in second generation (S2) and 8.42 ± 0.04, 39.73±0.26, 78.17±0.53, 123.86±0.65, 160.75±0.76, 183.53±0.79 and 202.59±0.93 g, in third generation (S3). The least squares means of body weights of males at hatch, 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6 weeks of age were 8.41±0.04, 39.32±0.26, 78.47±0.54, 118.72±0.66, 150.81±0.76, 169.87 ± 0.80 and 183.42±0.94 g, respectively and in females in the same were 8.44±0.04, 39.94±0.26, 80.14±0.52, 122.97±0.65, 159.04±0.75, 185.73±0.78 and 210.28±0.92 g, respectively. Key Words: Japanese quail- selection- body weights-non-genetic factors
JWPR
Journal of World's Poultry Research
J. World's Poult. Res. 2(2): 28-32, 2012
© 2011, Scienceline Publication
INTRODUCTION
The Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica is known to have been domesticated since the 12th century AD in Japan, mainly for its ability to sing. Intensive production of the species started in Japan in the 1920s. The first egg lines were then developed by selection (Wakasugi, 1984). They were successfully introduced from Japan to America, Europe, the Near and Middle East between the 1930s and 1950s, where specific lines were bred for egg and meat production. Extensive research on Coturnix japonica has showed that it was a valuable animal for avian research (Woodard et al., 1973). It has expanded from avian science-related topics to biology and medicine, as this bird could be kept easily in relatively large numbers in a small facility and be used as a model animal for a wide variety of work, from embryology (Le Douarin et al., 1969) to space-related sciences (Orban et al., 1999).
Growth is moderately to highly heritable and can be rapidly improved through individual phenotypic selection. However, growth is a dynamic process that involves both an increase in mass and synchronous
differentiation and maturation of many tissues. Consequently, selection results are highly dependent on the methods employed, including the age of primary selection, intensity of selection, selection emphasis placed on correlated traits and the environment (including nutritional aspects) under which selection is exercised (Emmerson, 1997). A selection experiment was designed. Individual phenotypic selection was contemplated to facilitate development of superior breeder flock suitable for production of optimum number of fast growing commercial meat type Japanese quails. The study was also designed to obtain an understanding of the relationship between selection age and growth with the following objectives, viz., to evaluate selection for juvenile, fourth-week and sixth-week body weights in Japanese quail.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was carried out at the Institute of Poultry Production and Management, formerly known as Poultry Research Station, Tamilnadu Veterinary and
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Effect of Non Genetic Factors on Growth Traits in Short Term Selection for Different Ages in Japanese quail. J. World's 28
Animal Sciences University, Nandanam, Chennai, India. A Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) population, maintained at the institute formed the base population for this study. The foundation stock for the three selected and an unselected control populations was from a random mating Japanese quail line maintained at the Institute of Poultry Production and Management, Chennai. The line had no known history of artificial selection except for a short period during 1989 to 1992 when the population was subjected to selection on the basis of body weight at four weeks of age for four generations under two different nutritional environments of high and low protein diets. From the foundation stock, one hundred and eighty males and equal number of females were randomly selected, wing banded, weighed, and randomly assigned to four groups to have 45 pairs in each of the four groups. The breeder males and females were maintained in cages under single pair mating. Hatching eggs were collected and set for hatch. Chicks hatched from three groups were subjected to individual phenotypic selection for body weight at different ages. One group (SWL) was selected for high body weight at two weeks of age, the other (FWL) for high body weight at four weeks of age. The third group (LWL) was subjected to two stage selection with the initial selection practised at four weeks of age for high body weight, followed by selection for low relative body weight gain between four to six weeks of age. The fourth group (COL) was maintained as control line with random selection of parents.
The number of hatches obtained and the total number of progenies produced in the three selected lines and control were 2176, 1780, 2331 and 2343, respectively in S0, S1, S2 and S3 generations. Only those data of progenies with intact wing bands and whose sexes were phenotypicaly identifiable were included in the study. One of the four groups formed in the base generation (So) was treated as control line and raised separately along with the selected populations (other
three lines) in each generation to observe and account for environmental influences. Single pair mating was followed with females assigned at random to individual males with the restriction that no full sib mating was permitted.
Statistical analysis
The data generated on body weight for age were corrected for the fixed effects of line, generation, sex and hatch by the least squares analysis (Harvey, 1979) using the following linear model based on pooled data.
Yijklm = ^+st1+gj+sk+hl+e1jklm Where,
Y
ijklm
= measurement of a trait on m
bird belonging to lth hatch, kth sex, jth generation and ith line ^ = overall mean sti = effect of ith line gj = effect of j^ generation sk = effect of the kth sex hl = effect of lfc hatch
eijklm= random error, assumed to be distributed normally and independently with mean zero and variance c2
Duncan's multiple range test (Duncan, 1955) was employed to make all pair wise comparisons of means.
RESULTS
Results of the least squares analysis of variance of body weights based on pooled data are presented in Table 1 and corresponding least squares means are given in Table 2.
The lines, generations, sexes and hatches had significant (P<0.01) effect on the body weight at hatch, 1, 2,3,4,5, and 6 weeks of age, except the influence of sex on body weight at hatch which was not found to be significant.
Table 1. Least squares analysis of variance for body weights
Lines Generations Sexes Hatches Error
df M.S.S d.f M.S.S d.f M.S.S d.f M.S.S | d.f M.S.S
BWH 3 27.49** 3 217.05** 1 1.68 5 49.79** 6532 0.83**
BW1 3 491.47** 3 2623.98** 1 628.54** 5 32479.74** 6528 38.65**
BW2 3 5939.19** 3 8473.43** 1 4545.33** 5 23994.88** 6540 189.36**
BW2£ 3 158.88* 1 296.51* 4 3015.94** 351 57.33**
BW3 3 3026.94** 3 83466.30** 1 29403.57** 5 51190.63** 6517 243.03**
BW4 3 1746.78** 3 142152.50** 1 109539.17** 5 9900.86** 6490 308.86**
BW4£ 3 10358.48** 1 5334.86** 5 700.69** 350 140.88**
BW5 3 5300.41** 3 67635.02** 1 390358.30** 5 5309.68** 6213 326.08**
BW6 3 7264.24** 3 54355.53** 1 1007416.17** 5 6603.82** 5586 400.21**
BW6£ 3 10183.43** 1 48321.08** 3 2997.06** 352 264.72**
*Significant at P<0.05; ** Significant at P< 0.01
The overall least squares means for body weights were 8.42 ± 0.04,39.63 ± 0.25, 79.30± 0.51, 120.84±0.63, 154.93±0.72, 177.80±0.75 and 196.85±0.89 g at hatch, 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 weeks of age, respectively.
The least squares means of body weights ranged from 8.60±0.04 g at hatch to197.04±0.99 g at 6 weeks of age in SWL line, 8.43±0.04 g to 199.87± 0.97g in
FWL line and 8.30±0.04 g to 196.31±1.02 g in LWL line. In COL, the means body weights varied from 8.36±0.04 g at hatch to 194.17± 1.03 g at six weeks of age. The least squares means of selected parents at two weeks of age (SWL) was 83.32±0.78 g, at four weeks of age (FWL) 166.99 ± 1.46 g and at six weeks of age (LWL) 203.33± 0.94 g.
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Effect of Non Genetic Factors on Growth Traits in Short Term Selection for Different Ages in Japanese quail. J. World's
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Table 2. Least squares means of body weights (g) at various ages (0-6 weeks) on pooled data
BWH BW1 BW2 BW2£ BW3 BW4 BW4£ BW5 BW6 BW6£
Overall : n Mean SE n 1 Mean SE n : Mean SE n Mean SE n : Mean SE n : Mean ' SE 1 n Mean SE n : Mean ' SE 1 n Mean SE n Mean SE
6545 8.42 0.04 6541 ' 39.63 0.25) 6541 ' 79.30 0.51 ' - - - 6530 120.84 0.63 6503 154.93 I0.72 I - - ! - ! 6226 ' 177.80 '0.75 ' 5599 196.85 0.89 - ! - -
Line SWL 1690 8.60a 0.04 1689 39.88a 0.28 1689 77.55c 0.57 360 83.82 0.78 1686 119.50c 0.71 1684 154.78b 0.81 1650 177.71b 0.84 1477 197.04b 0.99
FWL 1565 8.43b 0.04 1565 40.18a 0.27 1565 81.75a 0.55 - - - 1558 122.56a 0.68 1546 156.34a 0.78 360 166.99 1.46 1472 180.26a 0.82 1309 199.87a 0.97 - - -
LWL 1717 8.30c 0.04 1716 38.90b 0.29 1716 78.00c 0.59 - - - 1716 121.33b 0.72 1711 154.85a 0.83 - - - 1626 177.64b 0.87 1459 196.31b 1.02 360 203.33 0.94
COL 1573 8.36c 0.04 1571 39.55c 0.29 1571 79.91b 0.60 - - - 1570 119.99bc 0.73 1562 153.74c 0.84 - - - 1478 175.60c 0.88 1354 194.17c 1.03 - - -
Generation
Sc 1634 8.31c 0.04 1634 38.53c 0.29 1634 82.72 a 0.60 90 85.67a 1.11 1633 120.13c 0.74 1624 148.34c 0.85 90 161.12b 1.96 1528 173.15c 0.89 1429 191.15b 1.04 90 190.02c 1.89
S1 1461 8.04d 0.04 1460 38.84c 0.30 1460 77.51 c 0.61 90 83.09b 1.11 1460 110.71d 0.75 1460 144.77d 0.86 90 153.49c 1.95 1446 170.27c 0.90 1289 190.81b 1.06 90 197.46b 1.86
S2 1817 8.93a 0.04 1815 41.41a 0.28 1815 78.81 b 0.58 90 83.96ab 1.06 1814 128.68a 0.71 1810 165.83a 0.82 90 177.86a 1.88 1734 184.27a 0.86 1544 202.84a 1.01 90 211.80a 1.72
S3 1633 8.42b 0.04 1632 39.73b 0.26 1632 78.17 bc 0.53 90 82.58b 0.95 1623 123.86b 0.65 1609 160.76b 0.75 90 175.50a 1.59 1518 183.53b 0.79 1337 202.59a 0.93 90 214.05a 1.72
Sex
Male 3263 8.41a Female 3282 8.44a Hatch
0.04 3262 39.32b 0.26 3262
0.04 3279 39.94a 0.26 3279 80.14a 0.52 180 84.73a 0.87 3271 122.97a 0.65 3256 159.04a 0.75 180 170.85a 1.58 3131 185.73b 0.78 2805 210.28a 0.92 180 214.92a 1.27
78.47b 0.54 180 82.92b 0.89 3259 118.72b 0.66 3247 150.81b 0.76 180 163.14b 1.60 3095 169.87a 0.8
2794 183.42b 0.94 180 191.75b 1.27
1 1939 8.91a 0.02 1938 34.65d 0.14 1938 70.44d 0.29 110 75.28c 0.72 1938 107.99e 0.36 1934 153.49 c 0.40 96 169.00a 1.22 1840 180.56a 0.42 1646 200.32a 0.50 91 209.53a 1.71
2 1916 8.53c 0.02 1915 29.02e 0.14 1915 70.71d 0.29 112 78.09b 0.72 1914 122.36b 0.36 1909 151.82 c 0.40 106 167.78b 1.16 1832 180.07a 0.42 1648 199.17a 0.50 103 202.88b 1.60
3 1782 8.76b 0.02 1781 34.24d 0.15 1781 77.10c 0.31 94 88.60a 0.78 1779 119.92c 0.37 1768 157.87 a 0.42 106 173.52a 1.17 1691 181.89a 0.44 1529 200.56a 0.52 122 208.27a 1.51
4 810 8.42d 0.03 809 46.09b 0.23 809 82.15b 0.48 39 88.49a 1.29 809 119.98c 0.59 808 158.96 a 0.66 43 173.38a 1.94 784 174.65b 0.69 709 192.66b 0.81 44 192.65c 1.55
5 70 7.82f 0.11 70 49.62a 0.76 70 83.01b 1.57 5 88.67a 2.05 62 137.17a 2.02 57 155.69 b 2.38 4 161.82c 6.06 52 176.08b 2.55 42 189.93b 3.14 - - -
6 28 8.11e 0.18 28 44.14c 1.19 28 92.40a 2.46 - - - 28 117.64d 2.99 27 151.71c - 5 155.46c 5.44 27 173.55b 3.53 25 198.45a 4.06 - - -
£- Selected parents mean; Means with different superscripts within each column, trait and effect differ significantly (P<0.05)
Ashok A., Prabakaran. R. 2012. Effect of Non Genetic Factors on Growth Traits in Short Term Selection for Different Ages in Japanese quail. J. World's Poult. Res. 2(2): 28-32. http://jwpr.science-line.com/ ^^
In first generation (S0), the least squares means of body weights at hatch,1,2,3,4,5 and six weeks of age were 8.31±0.04, 38.53±0.29, 82.72±0.60, 120.13±0.74, 148.34 ±0.85, 173.15±0.89 and 191.15±1.04 g, respectively. The corresponding means were 8.04±0.04, 38.84±0.30, 77.51±0.61, 110.71±0.75, 144.77±0.86, 170.27±0.90 and 190.81±1.06 g in Si, 8.93±0.04, 41.41±0.28, 78.81±0.58, 128.68±0.71, 165.83±0.82, 184.27±0.86 and 202.84 g in S2 and 8.42 ± 0.04, 39.73±0.26, 78.17±0.53, 123.86±0.65, 160.75±0.76, 183.53±0.79 and 202.59±0.93 g, in S3 generations.
The least squares means of body weights of males at hatch, 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6 weeks of age were 8.41±0.04, 39.32±0.26, 78.47±0.54, 118.72±0.66, 150.81±0.76, 169.87 ± 0.80 and 183.42±0.94 g, respectively and in females in the same were 8.44±0.04, 39.94±0.26, 80.14± 0.52, 122.97± 0.65, 159.04±0.75, 185.73±0.78 and 210.28±0.92 g, respectively. The females weighed significantly (P< 0.05) heavier than the males from one to six weeks of age.
The hatch effect on body weights was observed to be significant (P< 0.05) at all the ages studied and necessary corrections for hatch effect were applied on the data before subjecting the same for further analysis.
DISCUSSION
Results of the study carried out through individual phenotypic selection for body weights at different ages in the Japanese quail are discussed here in the light of the findings available in the literature to arrive at definitive inferences.
Effect of Genetic Group
Least squares means of body weights at all ages of all selected lines were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the control line except SWL at two and three weeks of age. The same indicated that selection for high body weight at different ages effectively improved the character under selection by aggregating the favourable genes in the selected population. Praharaj et al. (1990) , Brah et al. (1997), Sreenivasulu (1997), Shalam (2003), Dhaliwal et al. (2004), Feroz Mohammed et al. (2006) and Punya Kumari (2007) also recorded similar observations on the significance of strain / line effect on body weights at different ages.
Effect of Generation
The generation had a significant (P < 0.01) influence on the body weight of Japanese quail at all ages studied with the exemption of the same at two weeks of age. Further, the body weights at different ages steadily improved from S0 to S3 indicating the positive influence of selection practised. Although the Japanese quail in different lines were selected for body weight at different ages, the least squares means of body weights at the corresponding age, as well as at other ages were also improved significantly which showed that the pleiotropic genes influenced the body weights of Japanese quail at different ages (Feroz Mohammed, 2004).
The above findings were in accordance with those of Brah et al. (1998) and El Deen (2003) who also
observed significant effect of generation on body weight at four weeks of age.
However, Sefton and Siegel (1974) could not identify such effect of generation on body weight, which might be because their study was restricted to comparison of only two generations.
Effect of Sex
Least squares means of body weights indicated that sex had no significant influence on weight at hatch. However, the effect of sex of the bird on the trait was found to be significant (P< 0.01) at 1, 2,3,4,5 and 6 weeks of age with the females weighing heavier by 0.62, 1.67, 4.25, 8.23, 15.86 and 26.86 g than the males at the above ages respectively. The sexual dimorphism was found to become much wider at five and six weeks of age which might be because of the fact that the reproductive organs in female Japanese quail constitute relatively large proportion of total body weight (Wilson et al., 1961) and the difference becoming more conspicuous around the age of sexual maturity at six weeks of age (Sefton and Siegel, 1974). The higher feed intake and better protein utilization by females could help them attain higher body weights than in males (Moudgal, 1996).
Shrivastava et al. (1995), Brah et al. (1997), Kirmizibayrak and Altinel (2001), Pramod Kumar et al. (2002), Saatci et al. (2003), Dhaliwal et al. (2004) and Shokoohmand et al. (2007) also observed significant effect of sex on body weight of Japanese quail at different ages.
Effect of hatch
The differences in least squares means of body weights at all ages of study were significant (P< 0.01) between hatches, which was in agreement with the finding of Narayan (1977), Strong et al. (1978), Prakash Babu et al. (1980), Brah et al. (1997), Sreenivasaiah et al. (1997), Feroz Mohammed et al. (2006) and Punya Kumari (2007).
The significant hatch effect on body weights might be explained because of the fluctuation in environmental conditions between the hatches and however, the same was found to taper off beyond four weeks of age indicating that the hatch effect influences Japanese quail at a juvenile age and a compensatory growth sets in later on to bring down the magnitude of difference witnessed earlier.
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To cite this paper: Ashok A., Prabakaran. R. 2012. Poult. Res. 2(2): 28-32.
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Effect of Non Genetic Factors on Growth Traits in Short Term Selection for Different Ages in Japanese quail. J. World's
