Study reveals parasite and water risks in Indonesian quail farms

Biosecurity and water quality

Biosecurity scores, measured on an 18-point scale, were divided into three groups:

• Group-1 (scores 13-18)
• Group-2 (scores 7-12)
• Group-3 (scores 1-6)

Three farms fell into Group 1, five into Group 2, and two into Group 3. This distribution highlights uneven adoption of protective measures among small holders.

Water varied widely. pH levels ranged from 4.8 to 8.0. The the highest E. coli count was 19.33 CFU/mL (L9), while coliform counts peaked at 89.67 CFU/mL (L5).

Parasite loads and egg production

Parasite burdens differed across farms. L1 had the highest parasite load, with Coccidia at 1000 oocysts/g, Strongyloides at 100 OPG, and Ascaridia sp. at 33.33 OPG. Meanwhile, L7 showed no endoparasites or water contamination.

In contrast, L7 showed no parasites or water contamination, suggesting that strong biosecurity can protect flocks. 

Egg production ranged from 64.29% to 90%.

Key findings

Analysis revealed no significant differences in parasite prevalence between biosecurity groups or water quality (p>0.05). However, coliform levels varied significantly, especially in farms using conventional well-water.

Overall, only about one-third of smallholder quail farms in Semarang and its surrounding regencies practice proper biosecurity. This study also provided the first documentation of endoparasite burdens as well as E. coli and coliform contamination in quail drinking water in Central Java.