Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
Carcass measurements including chemical composition and specific gravity data from 40 male and 40 female quails killed at 42 days of age were evaluated for use as an indirect means of estimating carcass fat. The results indicated that carcass fat was highly negative correlated to water (r = —0·93 and —0·87 for males and females, respectively) and that the inclusion of carcass protein improved the accuracy of prediction a little (r = -0·93 and -0·88). Carcass fat was only moderately related to specific gravity (r = —0·55 and —0·42) and the reliability as estimator of carcass fat was less than water or protein. Also, body weight was positively related to carcass fat (r = 0·71 and 0·42).