الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 109 |  |  |
| | | from | 109 | | |
Abstract
Due to shortage of animal protein sources, it is essential to produce large sized birds on genetic basis to compensate this shortage. This would occur by applying genetic selection for high body weight of birds by direct selection of body weight or indirect by selection of body conformation as well as carcass traits.
Japanese quails are used as pilot animals for research done with chickens because they related to the same family Phasianidae. Also, Japanese quails characterized over domestic fowl and turkeys by their requirements of less time and space, easier to handle, lower feed requirements, more rapid growth, earlier sexual maturity, greater laying ability and shorter time of hatching. In addition to Japanese quails have short generation interval as compared with fowl and turkeys (three to four generation per year).
Selection for increasing live weight at fixed ages were used as selection criteria in most of the genetic evaluation studies carried out to increase meat production in Japanese quails. Long-term experiments are useful for measuring the changes in the rates of response or variances caused by selection itself.