Gross morphometric study on the reproductive system of Japanese quail (<i>Coturnix coturnix japonica</i>)

Abstract

Quail farming is emerging in commercial poultry farming to provide alternatives to domestic chicken production and also strengthen the poultry production demands for animal protein. This study was conducted to determine the gross morphometry of the ovary and oviduct of inapparently healthy adult laying Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Fifteen hens aged ten weeks, with average weight of 123.33±4.94g, were used. After euthanasia, birds were dissected to expose and observe the ovaries and oviducts in-situ. Morphometric parameters including ovary weight, ovary length and length of each oviductal segment were recorded. In sexually active adult Japanese quail hen, the left ovary was like a bunch of grapes and it contained large, medium, and small follicles with mean weight of 0.38±0.12g and a relative weight of 0.31%. The oviduct, with a mean weight and length of 0.83±0.24g and 13.00±1.38cm, respectively) was highly convoluted and muscular, extending from the single ovary to the cloaca; occupying the major part of the abdominal cavity. The relative oviductal weight was 0.67%. Gross morphometric analysis indicated that the ovarian weight had a strong positive (p<0.01) correlation with oviductal parameters while oviductal parameters had strong positive correlation with oviductal segmental parameter (p<0.01). The results obtained from this morphometric analysis can be used to evaluate the reproductive performance of Japanese quail layers.

Keywords: Gross morphometry, Ovary, Oviduct, Japanese quail