Sistemas de Criação Sobre o Desempenho e Qualidade de Ovos de Codornas Japonesas

Abstract

Quail farming stands out as an economically and scientifically relevant activity in poultry farming. However, the effects of the rearing system still require further study. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate cage and floor rearing systems on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quails at different storage periods and temperatures. A total of 235 quails aged 38 to 54 weeks were distributed in a DIC with two rearing systems, five replicates, and eight (cages) or 39 (boxes) birds. Zootechnical performance and egg quality were evaluated considering four storage periods (0, 7, 14, and 21 days) at room and refrigerated temperatures. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey's test at 5% probability. The results demonstrated that the rearing system influenced egg production and mass, which were higher in cages, while the other performance variables did not differ between the systems. Egg quality remained similar between the systems, with the exception of yolk color, which was more yellow in caged hens. A reduction in apparent density, yolk index, and albumen percentage was observed, and a relative increase in yolk percentage was observed with prolonged storage time, particularly at room temperature. It is concluded that the caged system offers a slight production advantage and, because the floor system maintains egg quality, it presents a viable alternative for quail egg production, prioritizing animal welfare combined with production efficiency.