EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL QUAIL FARMING
Dr. R. UMA RANI, Ph.D.,
Professor,
Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University,
Veterinary University Training and Diagnostic Centre,
Madurai – 625 005, Tamil Nadu
Abstract
Quail farming in India has gained popularity in recent years due to its relatively low investment requirements, high reproductive potential, rapid growth rate, and high egg-laying capacity.and increasing demand for quail meat and eggs. In India, the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is the most commonly raised species for meat and egg production. Quails are normally raised in cages or in deep litter systems. Quails reach sexual maturity quickly, with females starting to lay eggs at around 6 weeks of age. A ratio of 1 male to 3-4 females is recommended for breeding purposes. Fertile quail eggs can be incubated using small-scale incubators. The incubation period for quail eggs is around 17-18 days. Proper temperature and humidity levels must be maintained throughout the incubation process. Good hygiene practices and regular cleaning of housing are essential for disease prevention.
Key words: Japanese quails – Farming – Management – Successful practices
Introduction
Quail farming is gaining traction in India, offering a promising opportunity in the agricultural sector. Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) is the primary breed raised for meat and eggs, known for its small size, rapid growth, and disease resistance (Ahmad et al., 2018). Unlike chickens, quails require no vaccinations and ready for marketing in just four weeks, yielding quick returns on investment. With low feed consumption and high market demand for tasty, protein-rich quail meat, it’s economically viable with low initial and operating costs. The industry’s growth is fueled by attractive profit margins, making it accessible to entrepreneurs with limited capital (Prabakaran and Ezhil Valavan, 2020). However, like any business venture, success depends on factors such as market demand, efficient management practices, and resource access.
Housing management
The housing for the quails should provide protection from predators, adequate ventilation, and proper lighting. Quails can be reared using two primary methods i.e the deep litter system and the cage system. Roofing options for quail housing include thatch, tiles, asbestos or metal sheets, providing insulation and protection from the elements. Meanwhile, the floor should be constructed from cement or concrete to allow for easy cleaning and disinfection, promoting optimal hygiene and disease prevention.
Deep litter system of rearing
Four to five quails per square foot can be reared in the deep litter system. Well dried, clean, mould free straw, rice husk, wood savings or saw dust can be used as litter materials for 2.5 cm height in this system of rearing. For every batch the litter material should be replaced with fresh new material. In deep litter system of rearing, after two weeks they will wander more, waste the energy of the food they consume, and cause low weight and high feed costs. Therefore, quails can be reared in deep litter system for the first two weeks and then they can be transferred to the cages.
Cage system of rearing
In this system the quails are fully reared in cages. Cage systems allow for easy management of quails, including feeding, cleaning, and monitoring of birds. With proper hygiene and separation of birds in cages, the spread of diseases among the quail flock is minimized, leading to healthier birds. Cage systems can be designed to ensure adequate ventilation and airflow, maintaining a healthy environment inside the quail house and reducing the risk of respiratory issues. Cages can accommodate a significant number of quails in a relatively small area, optimizing space utilization and allowing for high-density farming. Cages provide protection against predators and ensuring the safety of the quail flock.
Cages can be constructed from wire mesh. 100 quails can be reared in cages of 3 feet long by 2½ feet wide by 1 foot high for up to two weeks from the time of hatching. The bottom and sides of the cages of young chicks should be 0.75 cm by 0.75 cm wire mesh. From 3rd to 4th week, 50 quails can be reared in cages of 4 feet long by 2 ½ feet wide and 1½ feet high (Priti and Satish, 2014) The bottom and sides of the cages of the adult quails should be 1.5 cm by 1.5 cm wire mesh. Beyond the cage units, feeders and drinkers are fixed. Each cage can be arranged with 4 or 5 layers with a gap of around 10 cm between each tier. A dropping tray should be fitted into the gap under the wire mesh. Only then can a step-by-step design be given for the daily disposal of the waste falling into the quails in the upper layer.
In housing management proper lighting is crucial for the health and productivity of quails. For first two weeks 24 hours, from third to 5th week 12 hours, on 6th week 13 hours, 7th week 14 hours, 8th week 15 hours and from 9th week 16 hours of light should be provided.
Feeding management
Proper provision of drinkers and feeders is crucial based on the quail population to ensure access to clean fresh water and feed which are vital for their well-being. Quails need small drinkers to prevent drowning, and these should be cleaned daily to maintain hygiene and prevent bacterial contamination. Providing balanced and nutritious feed is essential for quails’ growth, egg production, and well-being, requiring a mix of proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fats. Japanese quails are typically fed similar raw materials as chickens. For chicks up to 6 weeks, a broiler starter feed with 24-28% protein is recommended, while layer feed with 18-22% protein is suitable for older quails. Despite their smaller size, quails have lower food requirements compared to larger poultry, consuming around 500 grams up to four weeks. An adult quail consumes 30 to 35 grams per day and 400 grams to lay a dozen egg (Priti and Satish, 2014). Regular cleaning of feeders, ideally weekly, is necessary to prevent mold and ensure feed quality by storing it in a damp-free area. By the end of the 4th week, male quails typically weigh around 180-190 grams, while female quails reach 190-210 grams and are ready for sale.
Breeding Management
Females weigh more than males and they have light brown feathers on the neck and black spots on the lower chest. The neck and under breast feathers of the males are brown. Quails reach sexual maturity quickly, and females start to lay eggs at 6 weeks of age and egg production reaches 50 percent by 8 weeks and continue to give high egg production up to 24 weeks of age (Dzuriatmono et al., 2019). For optimum fertility, a male female ratio of 1:3 in the deep litter system and 1:4 in cages is recommended for breeding purposes (Narinc et al., 2013). Proper nesting boxes with soft bedding materials like straw, saw dust or wood shavings should be placed in deep litter system for laying eggs. Four to five boxes can be kept in a row with a box size of 15 x 20 x 20cm per 5 quails. These nesting boxes provide a comfortable and secure environment for the quails to lay their eggs. The soft bedding helps cushion the eggs, preventing breakage, and also provides insulation to keep the eggs at an optimal temperature, absorb moisture, keeping the nesting area clean and dry, which is important for the health of the eggs and the quails themselves. Regular cleaning and replacement of the bedding will help maintain a hygienic nesting environment and ensure the well-being of the quails. In cage system of rearing, the egg collecting channels are fitted with for safe collection of eggs.
Egg production in quails is influenced by several factors, including temperature, feeding, water availability, care, and management. Among these factors, light plays a vital role in stimulating egg production. Proper lighting conditions, including duration and intensity, are essential for regulating the reproductive cycle of quails and ensuring consistent egg laying. Therefore, managing the lighting schedule is crucial for achieving desired egg production levels in quail farming operations. 0n 6th week of age 13 hours of light,7th week 14 hours of light, 8th week 15 hours of light and from 9th week 16 hours of light should be provided. Their eggs are very beautiful and weight between 7 to 15 grams. Japanese quail can lay up to 290 to 300 eggs in their first year of lay (Jatoi et al., 2015).
Collecting eggs daily is crucial for ensuring their quality. Eggs left in the nest or cage for too long can become dirty, cracked, or even start to develop embryos if they’ve been fertilized. In hot weather, this becomes even more important because high temperatures can accelerate the process of egg deterioration. So, collection of eggs twice or thrice daily helps to maintain optimal conditions and ensures fresh, clean eggs for better hatchability with good quality chicks. The eggs which weigh around 10 to 12 grams with hard and smooth eggshell are suitable for hatching and producing chicks (Arunrao et al., 2023). Quails do not incubate their eggs. So fertile quail eggs can be incubated using small-scale incubators or properly modified chicken hatchery can hatch more quail eggs. The incubation period for quail eggs is 17-18 days. Proper temperature and humidity levels must be maintained throughout the incubation process (Raji et al., 2015)
Brooding Management of Quail Chicks
Quail chicks are delicate creatures weigh around 7-9 grams at the time of hatch. During the first few weeks of their lives, they are particularly vulnerable to changes in temperature, humidity, and stress. It usually takes about two weeks for quail chicks to gain enough strength and resilience to handle environmental fluctuations more effectively. So, they require careful attention and a suitable environment to thrive. Providing them with a optimal brooding conditions like adequate temperature, sufficient light, proper air movement, density of quail chicks, supply of food and water, hygienic rearing rules is crucial for their survival and development during the initial stages (Abu Nasar et.al., 2016). Brooding arrangements are made ahead of time in a meticulously cleaned and disinfected room to receive the chicks on the expected date. All four sides of the brooder house must be enclosed with plastic sheets or screens up to the roof in both deep litter system of rearing and cage system of rearing.
In deep litter system, a brooder guard is placed in a circle with cardboard sheet or metallic sheet of about 1 to 1.5 feet in height and is securely fastened. Litter material such as paddy husks, sawdust, or wood shavings to a depth of about 2.5 cm must be placed inside the brooder guard. The litter materials should be covered with newspaper or corrugated sheet to absorb moisture and droppings which is to be changed every day. A 3-feet diameter brooder guard can accommodate around 150 chicks. Ensure adequate warmth by positioning electric bulbs in the center of the brooder guard, approximately 4 inches from the surface, providing around 1 watt of heat per chick due to their small size. In cage system, the chicks are raised with a brooding facility for the first two weeks under constant brooding temperature. In a brooder house the quail chicks should be provided with artificial heat and temperature management system for 14 to 21 days from their birth. During the brooding period, 24-hour lighting should be ensured. At the level of the birds, the brooder house temperature has to be 1000 F during first week, 950 F during 2nd week and from 3rd week onwards 900 F. If there is a power outage for more than 2 hours, the temperature inside the brooding house can be maintained by using charcoal in earthen pots. 3-4 earthen pots are sufficient for 1000 chicks.
Broiler starter feed through semi-automatic circular feeders and fresh drinking water through semi-automatic drinkers should be provided. For chicks upto 2 weeks, a drinking space of approximately 0.3 cm and a feeding space of 0.6 cm per bird and from 3 weeks of age double the feeding and drinking space should be provided. It is crucial to adjust the size of the drinker so that the distance between the brim of the plate and the cup is no more than 1 cm, preventing chicks from getting into the drinker and drowning. Top of Form
Pebbles may be added to the drinkers to avoid drowning chicks. Two chick drinkers with a diameter of 10 cm, a height of 1.5 cm, and a capacity of 500 ml, along with two feeder plates with a diameter of 22 cm, a height of 2 cm, and a capacity of 500 gm, would indeed be sufficient for 150 chicks in each brooder guard. Two drinkers and two feeders with a 14 cm diameter and 2.5 height at the brim, with a capacity of 1000 ml water or 1.0 kg feed respectively would be adequate for 150 birds from the third week onwards.
Disease management
Japanese quails exhibit remarkable resistance to diseases, thriving in diverse climatic conditions and there is no need to give multiple vaccinations like chickens. Sometimes the quails may be susceptible to the diseases like coccidiosis, brooder pneumonia, colibacillosis and ulcerative enteritis. In deep litter system of rearing the quails may be affected by coccidiosis and they can be treated with Amprolium sulphate @ 1.00 g/ litre of water for 3-5 days. Other bacterial diseases can be treated with an antibiotic like Tetracycline or Streptomycine or Amoxicillin @ 1gm /1 litre of water for 3 to 5 days. Good hygiene practices and regular cleaning of housing are essential for disease prevention. Therefore, if the chicks are adequately warmed, protected from cold air during the young age, quail houses and cages are properly disinfected, and provided with quality mixed feed and clean drinking water, the mortality rate in quails can be greatly reduced and they can be protected from diseases.
Bio-security practices
Prompt removal of sick or dead quail can prevent the spread of illness within the flock. Restricting access to visitors from other poultry farms can reduce the risk of introducing diseases from outside sources. Similarly, not sharing equipment with other poultry farmers can prevent cross-contamination. These bio-security measures can greatly contribute in protecting the quails from diseases, maintaining the health and increasing productivity of quail farm.
Summary
Quail farming presents a lucrative opportunity for entrepreneurs seeking a sustainable and profitable venture in the agribusiness sector. Quail meat and eggs have a niche market in India, particularly in urban areas where there is a growing demand for exotic meats and healthier alternatives to chicken and eggs. Quail meat is high in protein (20.5mg) and low in fat (5.8mg) and is highly palatable. So quail meat is considered as the perfect meat to meet the protein requirement and the best choice for children and adults with affordable prices. With its numerous advantages, including low investment requirements, disease resistance, and high-quality meat production, quail farming in India offers opportunities for small-scale farmers and entrepreneurs looking to diversify their agricultural activities and tap into niche markets for poultry products.
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