The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of sex and two ages at slaughter on the performance, carcass traits and meat quality of quails (Coturnix coturnix). Forty quails (males and females) were slaughtered at an age of 35 and 42 days. Then, the body weight, hot and cold carcass weight, breast weight, leg weight, hot and cold carcass yield, breast yield, leg yield, initial and final (24 hours post-mortem) pH values, water-holding capacity (WHC), color (L*, a* and b*), cooking loss and objective tenderness (shear force) were evalauted. There were no differences in carcass and cuts yields between the ages at slaughter. However, the quails slaughtered at 42 days of age had higher body weight than the quails slaughtered at 35 days of age. As to the parameters of meat quality, the initial pH values were lower in quails slaughtered at 42 days of age than in quails slaughtered at 35 days of age. Females slaughtered at 35 days of age had meat with lower degree of redness. The pH values of meat from males were lower with regard to those ones of meat from females. Therefore, the slaughter at 42 days of age yielded a better performance and carcass traits in males quails.
carcass yield; color; pH