Phenotypic variations between wild and farm-reared quails of Kenya

摘要

Over the past few years, quail meat and eggs have gained popularity among consumers in Kenya. However, there is scanty information available regarding quail farming and differences between wild and farm-reared quails in Kenya. The aim of our study was to carry out a survey on quail farming in Kenya, document the indigenous knowledge traditionally used by rural farmers for quail farming and identify the phenotypic variations between wild and farm-reared quails. Seventy-eight wild quails and twenty-two farm-reared quails were sampled and morphological measurements of wing length, shank length and body weight were taken. Phenotypic characteristics of skin and shank color were also assessed. Our results showed that wild quails are smaller compared to farm-reared quails. We also observed that wild and farm-reared quails in Kenya differ in skin color and shank color thus very distinct from each other. This information will prove useful towards conservation and sustainable use of the wild quail biodiversity and improvement of quail farming in Kenya.