According to a statement from the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), the new bird is intermediate in size, between a chicken and a quail, which is convenient because it is about right for an individual helping, reports Business Times of Malaysia.

Department of Veterinary Services Kuala Lumpur is creating a strain that produces eggs of good quality and meat with the flavour of both parents.

Quail eggs are a good source of protein, tasty, inexpensive and are widely available. Two and a half quail's eggs contain the same cholesterol and saturated fat as one chicken egg.

The statement said rising demand for quail has encouraged Felda settlers to breed the bird for supplementary income.

A market-ready bird can fetch 13 to 15 ringgit (MYR) a kilo. Quail eggs are sold at 10 sen each while young chicks are sold at MYR 0.60 to 2.50 each.

Since 1995, the demand for quail has increased by 20 to 25 per cent per year.

Felda settler, Samad Puhalus, has been rearing quails for eight years and says quail rearing is a lucrative business, spurring him to increase his monthly output to 10,000 birds.

Under the ECER master plan, integration of livestock in the oil palm plantations is encouraged to boost settlers income.

Demand for quails on an international level has also been rising.

Al Semman Farm in Abu Dhabi aims to increase quail production to 50,000 per week and expects to reach 200,000 quails per month by end of 2009 to cater for demand in the United Arab Emirates alone.

It currently produces about 15,000 birds per week and 16,000 eggs per month, according to Business Times.