Effect of Self-photoperiod on Live Weight, Carcass and Growth Traits in Quails (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica)

The weekly liveweight gain, growing and stress parameters of quails bred using two different types of lighting for 6 weeks following hatching were examined in this study. The first type of lighting was 23 L:1 D, continuous lighting (CL), widely used in the commercial system and the second was a self-photoperiod (SP) system consisting of a continuously lit chamber and a dark chamber the quails could move to as they wished. On the first 15 days, no difference was found in liveweight gain between the two breeding systems. On the $6^{th}$ week when the trial was completed, the liveweight of the male quails upon which CL lighting was used was 159.03 g while the weight of males in the SP group was 174.43 g; these values in female quails of the CL group were 179.15 g and in the SP group were 200.68 g. The CL group had lower testis volume (TVOM, $cm^{3}$) and testis weight (TW, g) than the SP group, however there was no difference between the groups in testis weight/body weight rate (BWTW %). In female quails, the ovary weight (OW, g) and the ovary weight/body weight rate (BWOW, %) values were higher in the SP group. The CL light regime was concluded to cause stress in male quails (CL, Heterophil/Lymphocyte ratio (H/L): 0.27; SP, H/L: 0.17). In conclusion; the SP system allowing the quails to regulate their light periods increased liveweight gain and enabled sexual maturity to be gained at an earlier period than in quail on the CL system and improved their welfare.