Idade para foto estimulação em codornas europeias para produção de ovos

Abstract

This study was developed with the objective of evaluating the effects of age for the onset of photo stimulation in European quails reared under natural light (12 hours and 4 minutes of light/day). For the study, 78 female European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) were used, 44 birds with 49 days and 34 with 84 days of age. When completing 49 and 84 days of age, birds were selected based on the average weight of each batch and 2 birds per cage, forming an experimental plot. After housing the birds were subjected to light stimulation. The parameters indicative of sexual maturity and performance in the production phase were evaluated for a period of 29 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. According to the results, for sexual maturity, it was observed that the time elapsed between the beginning of photo stimulation and the production of the first egg and the time to reach 50% of laying were significantly longer for the quails stimulated at 49 days. However, the average weight of quails and eggs, at the beginning of laying and when reaching 50% of production, were not influenced by the age at which the birds started to be photo stimulated. In the production phase, it was observed that there was no significant difference between treatments for feed intake and feed conversion. However, there was a significant effect for the percentage of laying and number of eggs produced per bird during the period, so that birds stimulated at 84 days of age had a higher percentage of laying and, consequently, produced more eggs. It is concluded that the beginning of photo stimulation at 84 days of age promotes faster response of the birds to the light stimulus, initiating the laying and reaching 50% of production in less time after the stimulus and, also, provides a higher percentage of laying and obtaining more eggs per bird during the 29 weeks after the challenge.