Bird’s eye view: You’ve got quail

Size doesn't always matter when it comes to birds, especially if those birds are on your dining table, and further, if those birds in question are quail.

Higher in nutritional value than chicken – though slightly higher in cholesterol as well – quails are in high demand in the UAE.

Most Arab homes serve quail at least once a month – that is, if they can get their hands on one, since producers can't seem to keep their freezers stocked enough.

So the question is, will the quail be able to dethrone the chicken as the king of white meat?

Quail tales

It could happen, but it will take time, says a quail farmer.

"We want to make the quail as popular as chicken in five to ten years, but at the same time maintain the high quality of our product," said Eng Salah Abu Hasira, Sales and Marketing Manager for Al Semman Farm.

One of only three farms in the GCC to breed quail, the farm which is situated in Al Ain outputs 15,000 quails per week, which it plans to increase to 50,000 per week by next February.

The farm is equipped with its own state-of-the-art production plant.

From halal slaughter to vacuum-cleaning the carcass, the plant is built to EU specifications, and has been used by the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) as an example of best practices at food safety conferences.

The farm which produces brands like Al Ain quail and Jumbo quail, besides quail eggs, currently has 48,000 quails of various ages, while it can handle 120,000 birds at present capacity.

"We have had our pens built specially for this climate," said James Greig, Manager of Al Semman Farm. "Quails are sensitive to heat and humidity; in winter daily temperatures can vary between 9-35 degrees Celsius."

Quality birds

Abu Hasira said their birds are the best. "Our quail is tender and white, while quails you find in the market are dark brown in colour.

"Game meat is an acquired taste, and we have found that the less the taste of game, the more people seem to enjoy it," he adds.

According to Greig, it is hard to get organic feed for the quails. "This is the only reason we can't say they are organic. The quails are however 100 per cent natural. We do not at all use any kind of growth enhancers," he said.

He adds that he is totally against the use of growth enhancers, "I believe that growth enhancers cause cancer. In the case of quails here, there is nothing to enhance the growth."

Did you know?

Al Semman Farm which is built on EU specifications is one of only three farms in the entire GCC region to breed quail.

Nutritional data

Quail meat is low in sodium. It is also a good source of thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6, iron, zinc and selenium, and a excellent source of protein, niacin, phosphorous and copper.

Quail eggs are a good source of folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, iron and phosphorus, and a very good source of protein, riboflavin and selenium.

www.nutritiondata.com