臺灣蛋鵪鶉產蛋性能與其影響因素分析

Abstract

鵪鶉是重要的肉品與蛋品來源之一，近年來全球鵪鶉蛋的總產量呈現緩步成長的趨勢，展現其產業發展潛力。有鑑於此，農業部於2022年正式將鵪鶉納入《畜牧法》法定家禽範疇，以促進臺灣本土鵪鶉產業的發展與經營效益。 本研究分為兩個部分進行探討。第一部分透過問卷調查，針對臺灣現有蛋用鵪鶉場的飼養環境與生產表現進行分析，涵蓋的項目包括飼養禽舍型態、飼養密度、開產日齡、育雛天數及產蛋率等產蛋性能指標。第二部分根據回收的問卷結果，選定三家具有一定飼養規模、配合意願高且計劃申請畜牧場登記證的鵪鶉業者，進行實地訪視與現場指導，針對飼養條件提出改善建議並測定其蛋品質，並於隔年再次訪視，以檢視改善措施的成效及飼養問題的解決情況。 有效問卷結果顯示，密閉式禽舍相較於非開放式(圍網)禽舍，其開產日齡提前了4天(p < 0.05)，且產蛋率提高了5%(p < 0.05)。此外，當鵪鶉的活動空間低於80平方公分/隻時，開產日齡可再提前2天，產蛋率提高2%。在實地訪視部分，2022年的調查發現三家業者的禽舍均存在內部風速不均及氨氣濃度略高的問題。針對這些問題，提出了多項改善建議，包括定期清潔禽舍內的蜘蛛網與通風口、增加抽風頻率以及裝設水霧降溫設施等。2023年的追蹤訪視顯示，三家業者的禽舍內最小風速均有所提升，通風效果明顯改善，且氨氣濃度降低。 在蛋品質方面，對這三家鵪鶉場兩年的蛋品質數據進行統計分析，結果顯示平均蛋重均有提升，其中一家場的蛋重較前一年增加了1.01公克(p < 0.05)。此外，這三場鵪鶉蛋之霍氏單位(Haugh Unit)皆維持在AA級，顯示蛋品質穩定優良。 臺灣位於亞熱帶地區，環境溫濕度相較其他地區更為嚴苛，因此深入瞭解本土飼養現況並評估適合臺灣鵪鶉飼養的最佳環境條件與規模，可作為未來產業發展與技術改良的參考依據。

Quails are an important source of meat and eggs. In recent years, the global production of quail eggs has shown a slight upward trend, highlighting the industry’s development potential. Recognizing this, the Ministry of Agriculture officially classified quails as statutory poultry under the Animal Husbandry Act in 2022 to promote the growth and management efficiency of Taiwan's domestic quail industry. This study is divided into two parts. The first part involves a questionnaire survey to analyze the current rearing practices and production performance of egg-laying quail farms in Taiwan, including housing types, stocking density, age at first lay, brooding duration, and egg production rates. The second part selects three farms with significant scale, high willingness to cooperate, and plans to apply for livestock farm registration certificates based on survey responses. These farms underwent on-site visits, where rearing improvement suggestions were provided, and egg quality measurements were conducted. Follow-up visits were made the following year to evaluate the effectiveness of the improvements and address any identified challenges. The survey results revealed that quails housed in closed systems had an earlier age at first lay by 4 days (p < 0.05) and a 5% increase in egg production rate (p < 0.05) compared to those in open (netted) housing. Additionally, when the space per bird was less than 80 cm², the age at first lay advanced by 2 days, and egg production rate increased by 2%. During on-site visits in 2022, common issues identified across the three farms included uneven airflow and slightly elevated ammonia levels inside the housing. Recommendations were made, such as regular cleaning of spider webs and ventilation inlets, increasing exhaust fan operation frequency, and installing misting systems. Follow-up visits in 2023 showed notable improvements, including increased minimum airflow, enhanced ventilation, and reduced ammonia levels. In terms of egg quality, a statistical analysis of egg quality data from these farms over two years showed an overall increase in average egg weight. One farm, in particular, exhibited an increase of 1.01 grams compared to the previous year (p < 0.05). Moreover, the Haugh Unit (HU) of eggs from all three farms remained consistently at an AA grade, indicating stable and excellent egg quality. Given Taiwan's subtropical climate, which features relatively high temperatures and humidity compared to other regions, understanding local quail farming practices and evaluating optimal environmental conditions, rearing systems, and scales suited to Taiwan's quail industry is crucial. These findings provide valuable insights for further research and serve as a practical reference for improving the development and technology of the domestic quail industry.