Scope for Interspecific Hybridization of Chicken and Quail

Abstract

Low fertility and hatchability rate is a hindrance in chicken-quail hybridization. An investigation was undertaken to increase fertility and consequently hatchability of quail eggs inseminated with chicken semen through increasing quantity of semen used and modifying the insemination schedule. Pooled fresh and non-diluted semen from two males each pertaining to three breeds (Chandigar Dark Cornish, Red Cornish and White Plymouth Rock) inseminated into Japanese quails twice a week. From 400 eggs set, seven hybrids (1.74 per cent) hatched on the nineteenth days of incubation. The hybrids obtained weighed 5.3-7.6g with an average of 6.42 at hatch (1.28g heavier than quail chicks from the same hatch) and 23.5g at 7 days of age (10g heavier than quail chicks). Further examination of non hatched eggs showed 25.29 per cent fertility with 17.74, 1.82, 2.20 and 1.25 per cent very early dead (preincubation and 0-2 days), early dead (3-5 days), death at 6-14 days and death at 15-19 days, respectively. The remarkable achievement of the present study was considerably greater fertility per cent of the eggs obtained from quails inseminated with chicken semen. Higher fertility rate could be attributed to insemination method as 150μL neat semen inseminated to each quail hen twice a week and insemination postponed by 12 hours for any bird with an advanced egg in oviduct.

Keywords

• interspecific hybridization
• quail
• chicken
• artificial insemination