Abstract:
In this study, the morphological and morphometric traits of the local quail
population in the Coastal Savanna, Semi-Deciduous Forest and Transitional Agroecological
Zones (AEZs) of Ghana were investigated. In this mixed-methods
study, a descriptive cross-sectional survey was employed. The survey included
ninety (90) local quail farmers with thirty (30) keepers from each AEZs was
selected to investigate their keeping aims, characteristics, trait preferences, and
production systems. A questionnaire, observation, and direct measurement were
employed to obtain data. Morphometric traits of Body Weight, Body length, Wing
length, Shank length and Body girth (BW, BL, WL, SL, and BG) were measured.
A sample size of 540 quails was selected with 180 from each AEZ (60males and
120females). The data was then analysed using Minitab-22 software. The study
found that sex and AEZ had no significant (p<0.05) influence on the
morphometric parameters examined except BW. Also, female quails were found
to be significantly (p>0.05) heavier than males in all three AEZ. Again, the study
found that survivability was the most preferred trait by the local quail farmers,
followed by high egg laying capacity, early maturity, and resistance to most avian
diseases among female quails. The findings of the canonical discriminant analysis
indicated that the local quail populations in the Semi-deciduous Forest were
closer to those in the Transitional zone than to those in the Coastal Savannah
AEZ. A further examination of the qualitative characteristics uncovered two
shank colors (yellow and pink) and four plumage colors (White, Black, Brown,
and Red). All the quails within the three AEZ had pink skin color.
