Interactive Effect of Age by Sex on Haematological parameters of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

The study evaluated Interactive effect of age and sex on the haematological parameters of Japanese quail. Total of 480 Japanese quails (240 quails per sex) were reared in a Randomized Complete Block Design at quail unit, University of Uyo. Weekly body weight was measured. Blood samples were collected from the wing veins of 240 quails of 120 per sex at ages 5 and 7 weeks for haematology analysis. Parameters were: Haemoglobin (HB), Red Blood Cell (RBC), White blood cell(WBC), Pack Cell Volume (PCV), Mean Corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin(MCH), and Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC). Data collected were analyzed in GLM of SAS software ver. 9.2. Means were separated with T- Test at (p<0.05). Result showed that age significantly (P<0.05) influenced all the haematological parameters of Japanese quail in this study. Japanese quails at 5 weeks of age had higher (P<0.05) mean values of 88.14±0.63g/dl, 44.63±1. 21×10⁹/L and 16.23±0.59g/l for MCHC, PLT and HB than those of 7 weeks with 27.09±0.19g/dl, 22.10±0.22×10⁹/L, 12.72±0.53g/l for the same parameters, respectively. While Japanese quails at 7 weeks of age had significantly (P<0.05) higher means of 282.98±0.56×10⁹/L, 2.88±0.06×10⁹/L,46.71±1.99%,76.19±1.13fl, 46.71±1.99pg for WBC, RBC, HCT, MCV, MCH than those at 5 weeks with 35.42±0.22×10⁹/L,1.23±0.04×10⁹/L,17.92±0.62%, 144.60±1.09fl and 38.32±0.24pg of the same parameters, respectively. Result showed that sex significantly (P<0.05) influenced some of the haematological parameters of Japanese quails measured. Male quails had higher (p<0.05) means of 2.25×10⁹/L, 16.79±0.33g/dl, 36.75±2.26%, for RBC, HB, HCT than females with 1.86±0.12×10⁹/L,12.16±0.66g/dl and 27.87±2.37% for the same parameters, respectively. Haematological parameters showed increased in mean values with increase in age. Male quails had higher values than females’ counterpart. Male quails at younger age should be used for haematological studies in birds.