Performance of meat type quails in diallel cross

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of four strains of meat type quails, designated L1, L2, L3 and L4 in diallel crosses. This study was carried out at the premises of the Genetic Improvement Program for Quails of UFVJM, from December 2011 to May 2012. The average body weight at hatch, at 35 and at 42 days old, the average daily feed intake at 35 and at 42 days old, and feed conversion at 35 and 42 days old were evaluated. Diallel analyzes were developed using univariate analyses, considering the methodology of complete diallel, from the average of the genotype combinations resulting in a complete randomized design with three replications. The combining ability analysis revealed significance for general combining ability for all traits, except for average feed intake and feed conversion at 35 days old. There was significant effect of specific combining ability for hatch weight (L2xL3; L2xL4; L1xL4); feed conversion from hatch to 35 days of age (L1xL3; L2xL4), and from hatch to 42 days (L1xL3; L2xL3; L2xL4); and average feed intake from hatch to 35 days of age (L1xL3; L2xL3), thus allowing the identification of more favorable hybrid combinations. The reciprocal effect showed significance only for hatch weight. Based on general combining ability, the strains which are more favorable for increased body weight were L1 and L2. For feed conversion, for the specific combining ability, the crosses L1xL3 and L2xL4 showed the best results, while for feed intake from hatch to 35 days old, the crosses L1xL3 and L2xL3 would be the most suitable.