Body size, reproductive behavior, and fertility in three genetic lines of Japanese quail.
The influences of body size on early locomotor activity, intermale aggression, mating behavior, fertility, and hatchability were studied in three lines of Japanese quail. Lines P and C originated from the same base population with P selected for high 28-day body weight and C maintained as a randombred population. Line S was a randombred line unrelated to P and C. Line P quail were larger than both C and S quail, which were similar in size and had proportionally larger cloacal glands than those from the P line. The P and S males were more aggressive than C males. Although there was no difference among the three lines for number of attempted matings, C and S males completed more matings and had better mating efficiency and fertility than P males. The P females received more attempted matings than C and S females, but S females completed more matings, resulting in higher mating efficiency. Fertility tended to be lower in P females, while hatchability of fertile eggs was similar across all lines. The effect of body size on reproductive performance is discussed in the context of genetic homeostasis.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D003370:Coturnix / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011784:Quail / Q000235:genetics*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal