Medidas morfométricas del huevo fértil de codorniz (Coturnix coturnix japonica) sobre el peso al nacimiento

The aim of this study was to relate morphometric measurements of the Coturnix coturnix japonica quail egg with the weight at birth in a commercial line of laying. In total, 274 birds were evaluated at one-day old, whose fertile eggs were classified into three categories according to weight: (1) 10.00-10.99, (2) 11.00-11.99, (3) 12.00-12.99 g for the variable birth weight, while the variables: transverse diameter and longitudinal diameter of the egg, and shape index were evaluated according to quartiles. In addition, the sex of the bird was evaluated. A completely randomized block model and correlations between the quantitative variables were used. A mean correlation of 0.65 was obtained between egg weight and longitudinal diameter, and low correlations between the variables longitudinal and transverse diameter (0.15). The birth weight was 7.36 ± 0.038, 7.92 ± 0.036 and 8.47 ± 0.058 g in categories 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and 7.83 ± 0.0672, 7.81 ± 0.0681, 7.69 ± 0.0665 and 7.85 ± 0.0682 g in quartiles 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The egg shape index was 70.22 ± 0.321%. The weight of the male quail was 7.84 ± 0.0347 and in females it was 8.00 ± 0.0358 (p<0.05). The transverse and longitudinal diameter of the egg makes it possible to visually select a hatching egg, the transverse diameter being the most precise, since heavy quail at birth is not required.