الفهرس 
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Abstract
The present experimental work was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (Moshtohor), Zagazig University (Benha), Egypt, during the period from March, 1998 to March, 1999.
The aim of the present work was to (1) study the body weight development and evaluation of the growth rate. (2) Determination of the puberty and sexual maturity ages (3) Histological studies of the reproductive organs up to the puberty and sexual maturity ages (4) Hematological changes in the blood parameters up to the puberty and sexual maturity ages. (5) Some behavioural changes up to the age of sexual maturity, (6) Hormonal changes up to the puberty and sexual maturity ages (growth, thyroid and testosterone hormones).
The study includes 150 pairs of one day old healthy normal Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica). The birds were raised on clean sterilized pen of dimensions (5 x 4x 2.4 m), where the stocking density did not exceed 50 adult birds in one square meter. Suitable management and prophylactic measures were taken and nearly continuous light program was used (23 hr light and lhr dark).
Feeding and watering were ad-libitum and a commercial balanced broiler starter ration containing 28% protein was used during the experimental period.
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SUMMARY
Absolute and relative growth rate were determined by weekly record of body weight gain. The progressive changes in the reproductive organs in both males and females as well as dressing percentage, blood picture and hormonal changes specially growth hormone, thyroid hormones and testosterone hormone were studied by weekly random slaughter of 20 birds (10 males and 10 females)
The obtained results revealed that:
1-The average live body weight for both sexes was not significantly different till the 4th week of age, after that the females became significantly heavier than the males and reached 218.3 g and 191.2 g at the 10th week for both females and males, respectively.
2-The absolute weight gain for both sexes was not significantly different till the 4th week of age. Then from the 5th week and onward the females had values significantly higher than those of males and
reached 210.42 g and 183.61g for both females and males, respectively.
3-The relative growth rate was not significantly different between both sexes along the period of experiment except at the 2nd, the 8th and the
9th week of age where the females had values significantly higher than those of males.
4-The average daily weight gain was not significantly different between both sexes along the period of experiment except at the 8th week of age where the females had values (3.47%) which was significantly higher than that of males (1.82%).
5-The dressing percentage was not significantly different between both sexes during the first 2 weeks of age, then from the 3rd week and
onward the females showed significant higher values than those of the males.
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SUMMARY
6-The plasma growth hormone (GH) level was not significantly different between both sexes. The level of GH was high during the 1st and 2nd week of age in both sexes, then decreased gradually in both sexes with advancing the age.
7-The plasma triiodothyronine (T3) level was low in both sexes during the first day post hatching, then increased and reached the maximum level at the 2nd week of age, then decreased gradually in both sexes without significant sex difference except at the 8th and 9th week of age where the males had significant higher values than those of females at the corresponding age.
8-The plasma thyroxine (T4) level increased in both sexes with advancing the age. The values in males during the 4th and 5th week of age were significantly higher than those of females, while the values in females during the 7th and 8th week of age were significantly higher than those of males.
9-The puberty and sexual maturity ages of male Japanese quail were found to be 35 and 42 days, respectively.
10-The puberty and sexual maturity ages of female Japanese quail were found to be 44 and 50 days, respectively.
11-Liver weight increased in both sexes with advancement of the age. No significant sex difference in liver weight from one day till the 6th week of age, while from the 7th week till the 10th week of age, the females’ liver weights were significantly higher than those of the males and reached 9.42 gm in females and 5.39 gm in males at the 10th week of age.
12-The average number of erythrocyte was 3.06 x 106 / mm3 in males and 2.69 x 106 /mm3 in females at the first day post hatching , then increased in both sexes and reached maximum level (5.28 x 106/mm3
a 164 (b.
in males and 4.63 x 106/mm3 in females) at the 8th week of age with significant sex differences along the period of the experiment.
13-The average Hb concentration was 10.35 g/dl in males and 8.15 g/dl in females at one day of age and reached maximum at the 8th week (15.25 g/dl in males 13.69 g/dl in females).
14-The hematocrit values were 28.08% in males and 27.90% in females at one-day then increased in both sexes and reached 50.62% in males and 47.19 in females at the 8th week of age with significant sex differences (male values higher than those of female).
15-The average number of leukocytes was 17.52 x 103/mm3 in males and 18.25 x 103/mm3 at one day of age then increased in both sexes till
reached 23 x 103/mm3 in males and 24.6 x 103/mm3 in females at the 10th week of age.
16-The average number of thrombocytes was 70 x 103/mm3 in males and 66.1 x 103/mm3 in females at one day of age and reached 115.2 x
103/mm3 in males and 124.8 x 103/mm3 in females at the 10th week of age.
17-The activity of birds in feeding and drinking increased with the advancement of age and the time spent by birds in drinking was positively correlated with period of high feeding activity.
18-Resting and comfort behaviour of birds is increased from the 1st
week till the 2nd week then declined till the 5th week, then increased till the 9th of age.