Influence of Different Dietary Nutrients on Egg Production, Quality Traits and Serum Hormone Levels of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the influence of different dietary nutrients on hen day production, feed cost, egg quality traits and the serum hormone levels of Japanese quails. One hundred and thirty five (135), four weeks old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to five treatment groups (T1 – T5) in a completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment had three replicates of nine quails each. The control diet (T1) was compounded to consist of a balanced ration (2600 Kcal/kg metabolizable energy, ME,  24 % crude protein, 5 % fat, 6 % crude fibre) while the other diets were deficient or high in one of these nutrients. Feed and water were provided ad libitum while records of feed cost and daily egg production were kept. Three eggs were collected from each replicate for external and internal quality analysis. Blood samples were collected from two birds per replicate for serum hormone and cholesterol analysis. The diets significantly affected (P < 0.05) the hen day production (HDP)  such that the birds fed the control and high fibre diets had higher HDP while those from the low energy diet had the least HDP. The cost of the low energy feed was the highest. The diets also significantly influenced (P< 0.05) the egg quality traits such that the egg, albumen and yolk weights from the control and the high fat diet had the highest weight. Eggs from the high fibre diet had the least weights. The hormone levels of the birds fed the low energy diet were the lowest (P > 0.05) while the control birds and the birds fed the high fibre diet had the best hormone levels which resulted in higher HDP. It was obvious that the nutritionally deficient diets, especially the low energy diet was not good for quail production and should never be used. The study served as a reference for the nutrients required for quail production.