Effects of handling and pair management on reproduction in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix )

Three experiments were designed to study the effects of handling, pairing, and frequency of mating opportunities on reproduction in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix ) when the sexes were caged separately except during the 90 minute mating periods. In Experiments 1 and 2, 48 females and 48 males were allocated randomly to one of four treatments: 1) continuously paired, 2) paired daily with the same male, 3) paired daily with a different male, and 4) paired every third day with the same male. In Experiment 3, 44 males and 44 females used in Experiments 1 and 2 were again assigned randomly to one of four treatments: 1) continuously paired, 2) paired continuously but the females were handled at the beginning and end of a 90 minute period every third day to simulate the handling associated with moving birds between cages for mating, 3) paired every third day with the same male, and 4) paired every third day with a different male. In Experiments 1 and 3, the females were introduced into the males' cages, while in Experiment 2 males were introduced into the females' cages. In Experiment 1, the females paired every 1 or 3 days with the same males had fewer eggs with embryonic development than continously paired females. In Experiment 2, a reduced number of eggs with embryonic development was observed only in fermales paired every 3 days with the same male. In Experiment 1, more eggs hatched from continuously paired females than from females paired every third day with the same male. In Experiment 3, the females paired every third day with the same males had fewer settable, developing, or hatching eggs. In conclusion, it was found that when the sexes need to be caged separately, it is better to expose the females to different males.