Abstract: Feeding experiment was conducted to determine the influence of dietary levels of metabolizable energy (ME) of 2900 and 3000 kcal/kg, crude protein (CP) of 20, 22 and 24 percent, and fishmeal (FM) of 0, 4 and 8 percent on the growth (Study 1), egg production (Study 2). The procedure experiments in a Completely Randomized Design were followed using 540 day-old Japanese quails. These were randomly assigned in each dietary preparation and three replications of 10 birds in each cage. The birds were fed with starter diet from 1 to 42 days old while layer diet was fed from 43 to 126 days old. Feed intake of the growing quails was enhanced by FM inclusion particularly in the diet with 2900 kcal ME/kg and 22 percent CP. Optimal feed conversion ratio (FCR) was noted in the 3000 kcal ME/kg, 24 percent CP and 4 percent FM, but only in 18 days old. Egg production rate was higher with 2900 than 3000 kcal ME/kg irrespectively of CP and FM levels. This was also translated in terms of lower feed conversion ratio. Optimal conversion of feed to egg and egg to weight was attained with 8 percent FM, irrespectively of ME and CP levels in the diet. The economic analysis in the Study 2 showed higher income over feed cost (IOFC) for diet with2900 than 3000 kcal ME/kg irrespective of CP and FM levels. Also, IOFC was higher in the 8 percent FM than 0 FM but comparable with 4 percent FM irrespective of ME and CP.
Keywords: Metabolizable energy (ME), crude protein (CP), fishmeal (FM), and Egg production.
Title: Influence of Energy, Protein and Fishmeal Levels on the Growth and Egg Production of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)
Author: WILLIAM GUYAO BAWAGAN
International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research and Innovations
ISSN 2348-1218 (print), ISSN 2348-1226 (online)
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