Predicting Egg Weight, Shell Weight, Shell Thickness and Hatching Chick Weight of Japanese Quails Using Various Egg Traits as Regressors

Abstract

The present study was conducted on eggs of Japanese quail maintained in cages at the research unit, NWFP, Agricultural University, Peshawar, Pakistan. Five hundred eggs selected at random were broken to record data on egg weight (g), egg length (cm), egg width (cm), shell weight (g) and shell thickness (mm). Another 500 eggs were put in the incubator after discarding undesirable eggs and recording data on egg weight, egg length and egg width. Egg weight was better predictable from egg width and length. Following equations were developed to predict egg weight from egg length and width; (Equation 1) = -3.3133600 + 1.835144(X ) + 2.655127(X ), (Equation 2) = 1.970096 + 2.252730(X ) and (Equation 3) = -1.0109318 + 1 2 3 2 4 every equation separately. Following equations were developed for predicting eggshell weight from egg weight, length and width; (Equation 4) =-0.521102+0.310761(X ) +0.4074 (X ), (Equation 5) 5 6 =0.138189+0.062933(X ) +0.233078(X ) and (Equation 6) =-0.001150+0.071568(X ) +0.311496(X ). Where 7 8 9 10 7 9 weight (g), respectively. Shell thickness was predictable with sufficient accuracy from egg weight, width and length and following equations were developed to predict it; (Equation 7) = 0.154646 + 0.076448(X ) and 11 (Equation 8) = 0.154721 + 0.000694(X ) + 0.073939(X ). Where Ŷ was predicted eggshell thickness, 12 13 X and X the egg width and X the egg weight for each equation separately. Weight of egg albumin was 11 13 12 predictable from the following equations; (Equation 9) = -0.685557 + 0.460613(X ) + 0.079842(X ) + 14 15 0.412241(X ), (Equation 10) = -0.553150 + 0.468198(X ) + 0.426649(X ), (Equation 11) = 0.279557 + 16 17 18 0.468198(X ) and (Equation 12) = -2.128934 + 0.925133(X ) + 1.63522(X ). Where Ŷ was the predicted 19 0.355813(X ), (Equation 15) = 0.003214 + 1.141682(X ) and (Equation 16) = 0.050845 + 0.921437(X ). 24 25 26