Effects of supra-nutritional levels of vitamin E and vitamin C on growth performance and egg production traits of Japanese quails

Figures & data

Table 1. Ingredients, chemical composition, and energy of the standard quail diet (from 42 to 105d of age).

	Diet from 42 to 105d
Ingredients, %
Corn	50.00
Soybean meal, 44% protein	30.17
Wheat	4.42
Barley	2.96
Rapeseed oil	4.75
Salt	0.27
Mineral oysters	3.79
Bone meal	2.91
Vitamin and mineral premix^1	0.50
dl-methionine	0.10
Lysine hydrochloride	0.08
Enzyme	0.05
Calculated analysis, % as fed
ME, kcal/kg	3000.00
CP	20.00
Ca	2.50
Available P	0.55
Met	0.45
Met + Cys	0.76
Lys	1.15

¹ Supplied the following per kilogram of diet: Cu, 8 mg; Fe, 50 mg; Mn, 70 mg; Zn 50 mg; I, 1.2 mg; Se, 0.2 mg; vitamin A, 14000 U; vitamin D3, 4000 U; vitamin E, 10 mg; vitamin K3, 3.2 mg; vitamin B2, 6mg; vitamin B12, 16 µg; niacin, 40 mg; pantothenic acid, 10 mg; antioxidant, 30 mg.

Table 2. Growth performance of Japanese quails fed diets with different dietary levels of vitamin E and C.

Treatment		BW, g				ADFI, g				ADG, g				G:F
Vitamin E, mg/kg	Vitamin C, mg/kg	42d	63d	84d	105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d
600	600	195.650^f	248.980^c	275.050^c	295.630^e	680.350^de	714.150^de	733.850	2128.35	53.330^e	26.080^a	20.580^ab*	99.980^ab*	0.0790^d	0.0370^a	0.0280	0.0470^a
600	800	196.750^ef	251.380^c	276.930^bc*	296.730^e	679.600^e	714.730^de	781.500	2175.83	54.630^de	25.550^a	19.800^ab*	99.980^ab*	0.0810^d	0.0360^ab*	0.0250	0.0460^ab*
600	1000	197.050^ef	257.280^b	278.800^b	297.030^de	674.400^e	723.030^cd*	739.280	2136.70	60.230^bc	21.530^abc	18.230^abc	99.980^ab	0.0890^ab	0.0300^bcd*	0.0250	0.0470^a
800	600	197.300^ef	257.100^b	276.850^bc	296.880^e	683.080^cde*	711.080^e	740.850	2135.00	59.800^bc	19.750^bc	20.030^ab	99.580^ab	0.0870^bc	0.0280^cd*	0.0270	0.0470^a
800	800	198.230^de	263.730^a	282.800^a	298.850^c	693.700^abc	745.350^a	735.200	2174.25	65.500^a	19.080^c	16.050^cd	100.630^a	0.0940^a	0.0260^d	0.0220	0.0460^a
800	1000	199.600^cd	266.180^a	284.530^a	298.400^cd	704.550^a	726.980^bc	727.380	2158.90	66.580^a	18.350^c	13.880^d	98.800^ab	0.0940^a	0.0250^d	0.0190	0.0460^ab
1000	600	201.480^b	258.330^b	278.150^bc	299.530^bc	691.150^bcd	736.380^ab	712.950	2140.48	56.850^cde	19.830^bc	21.380^a	98.050^bc	0.0820^cd	0.0270^cd	0.0300	0.0460^ab
1000	800	201.250^bc	258.550^b	282.350^a	300.580^b	696.700^ab	734.780^ab	745.750	2177.23	57.300^bcd	23.800^ab	18.230^abc	99.330^ab	0.0830^cd	0.0320^abc	0.0250	0.0450^ab
1000	1000	205.480^a	265.950^a	284.400^a	302.250^a	701.050^ab	730.680^bc	748.630	2180.35	60.480^b	18.450^c	17.850^bc	96.780^c	0.0860^bc	0.0250^d	0.0240	0.0450^b
Main effect
Vitamin E
600		196.480	252.540	276.930	296.460	678.120	7.17.300	751.540	2146.96	56.060	24.380	19.530	99.980	0.0830	0.0340	0.0260^a	0.0470
800		198.380	262.330	281.390	298.040	693.780	727.800	734.480	2156.05	63.960	19.060	16.650	99.670	0.0920	0.0260	0.0230^b	0.0460
1000		202.730	260.940	281.630	300.780	696.300	733.940	735.780	2166.02	58.210	20.690	19.150	98.050	0.0840	0.0280	0.0260^a	0.0450
Vitamin C
600		198.140	254.800	276.680	297.340	684.860	720.530	729.220	2134.61^b	56.660	21.880	20.660	99.200	0.0830	0.0310	0.0280^a	0.0470
800		198.740	257.880	280.690	298.720	690.000	731.620	754.150	2175.77^a	59.140	22.810	18.030	99.980	0.0860	0.0310	0.0240^b	0.0460
1000		200.710	263.130	282.580	299.230	693.330	726.890	738.430	2158.65^ab	62.430	19.440	16.650	98.520	0.0900	0.0270	0.0220^b	0.0460
SEM		0.366	0.690	0.711	0.315	2.325	2.254	14.678	15.50	0.749	0.968	0.694	0.412	0.0012	0.0014	0.0010	0.0003
p-values
Vitamin E		<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	.300	.33	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.0100	<.0100	<.0100	<.0100
Vitamin C		<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	.130	.01	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.0100	<.0100	<.0100	.0300
Vitamin E × C		<.010	<.010	.050	.020	<.010	<.010	.230	.73	<.010	.040	.060	.060	<.0100	.0300	.1400	.0600

BW, body weight; ADFI, average daily feed intake; ADG, average daily gain; G:F, gain to feed ratio.

^a,b,c,d,e,fMeans within a column with different superscript letters differ (p ≤ .05).

Table 3. Egg production traits of Japanese quails fed diets with different dietary levels of vitamin E and C.

Treatment		Number of produced eggs				N:F				Weight of produced eggs, g				W:F
Vitamin E, mg/kg	Vitamin C, mg/kg	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d
600	600	116.00^f	151.00	177.00	445.00^e	0.1710	0.2120^d	0.2420	0.2090	1398.00^g	1835.00	2153.00	5385.00^e	2.0550	2.5690^c	2.9340	2.5300
600	800	124.00^d	157.00	184.00	465.00^cd	0.1820	0.2200^bcd	0.2360	0.2140	1494.00^de	1923.00	2227.00	5643.00^cd	2.1990	2.6900^abc	2.8600	2.5950
600	1000	129.00^c	160.00	186.00	475.00^c	0.1920	0.2210^bcd	0.2520	0.2220	1554.00^cd	1948.00	2247.00	5748.00^c	2.3040	2.6940^abc	3.0390	2.6900
800	600	117.00^ef	151.00	177.00	445.00^e	0.1710	0.2130^d	0.2380	0.2080	1406.00^fg	1834.00	2133.00	5373.00^bc	2.0590	2.5790^c	2.8800	2.5170
800	800	132.00^cb	162.00	187.00	481.00^bc	0.1900	0.2170^cd	0.2550	0.2210	1588.00^bc	1959.00	2264.00	5811.00^e	2.2900	2.6290^bc	3.0790	2.6730
800	1000	135.00^ab	168.00	194.00	497.00^ab	0.1920	0.2310^ab	0.2670	0.2300	1637.00^ab	2021.00	2351.00	6009.00^ab	2.3240	2.7800^ab	3.2330	2.7830
1000	600	122.00^ed	155.00	181.00	458.00^de	0.1770	0.2100^d	0.2540	0.2140	1471.00^ef	1873.00	2191.00	5534.00^de	2.1280	2.5430^c	3.0720	2.5850
1000	800	134.00^abc	166.00	195.00	495.00^ab	0.1920	0.2260^abc	0.2620	0.2270	1617.00^ab	2018.00	2357.00	5991.00^ab	2.3210	2.7470^ab	3.1720	2.7540
1000	1000	138.00^a	172.00	194.00	504.00^a	0.1970	0.2350^a	0.2600	0.2310	1664.00^a	2074.00	2350.00	6088.00^a	2.3730	2.8390^a	3.1480	2.7930
Main effect
Vitamin E
600		123.00	156.00^c	182.00^b	462.00	0.1810^b	0.2180	0.2430^b	0.2150^b	1482.00	1902.00^b	2209.00^b	5592.00	2.1860^c	2.6510	2.9440^b	2.6050^b
800		128.00	160.00^b	186.00^ab	474.00	0.1840^b	0.2200	0.2530^ab	0.2200^ab	1544.00	1938.00^b	2249.00^b	5731.00	2.2240^b	2.6630	3.0640^ab	2.6580^ab
1000		131.00	164.00^a	190.00^a	485.00	0.1880^a	0.2240	0.2580^a	0.2240^a	1584.00	1988.00^a	2299.00^a	5871.00	2.2740^a	2.7100	3.1310^a	2.7110^a
Vitamin C
600		118.00	153.00^c	178.00^b	449.00	0.1730^c	0.2120	0.2440^b	0.2100^c	1425.00	1846.00^b	2159.00^b	5431.00	2.0800^c	2.5630	2.9620^b	2.5440^c
800		130.00	162.00^b	189.00^a	480.00	0.1880^b	0.2210	0.2510^ab	0.2210^b	1566.00	1967.00^a	2282.00^a	5815.00	2.2700^b	2.6890	3.0370^ab	2.6740^b
1000		134.00	167.00^a	191.00^a	492.00	0.1930^a	0.2290	0.2590^a	0.228^a	1618.00	2014.00^a	2316.00^a	5948.00	2.3330^a	2.7710	3.1400^a	2.7560^a
SEM		1.10	2.00	2.00	3.60	0.0015	0.0029	0.0058	0.0027	14.10	22.50	24.40	44.40	0.0187	0.0331	0.0706	0.0317
p-values
Vitamin E		<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.0100	.0400	.0100	<.0100	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.0100	.0900	.0100	<.0100
Vitamin C		<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.0100	<.0100	.0100	<.0100	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.0100	<.0100	.0200	<.0100
Vitamin E × C		.03	.25	.14	.04	.1100	.0500	.1700	.3200	.05	.36	.11	.04	.2000	.0400	.1500	.3200
Treatment		Average egg weight, g/egg				Average egg volume, cc/egg^1				Egg shape index^2
Vitamin E, mg/kg	Vitamin C, mg/kg	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d	42 to 63d	64 to 84d	85 to 105d	42 to 105d
600	600	12.030	12.130	12.150	12.110	11.2^f	12.7^f	13.8^f	12.6^g	0.4400^c	0.4900	0.5250	0.4850
600	800	12.100	12.230	12.120	12.150	11.9^de	14.0^de	15.3^de	13.7^de	0.4430^bc	0.4850	0.5330	0.4880
600	1000	12.020	12.180	12.080	12.100	12.0^d	14.1^de	15.8^cd	14.0^cd	0.4400^c	0.4900	0.5380	0.4880
800	600	12.040	12.120	12.090	12.090	11.5^ef	13.1^f	14.1^f	12.9^f	0.4500^b	0.4980	0.5480	0.4980
800	800	12.060	12.110	12.090	12.090	12.4^c	14.4^cd	15.9^bc	14.2^c	0.4550^bc	0.5050	0.5600	0.5030
800	1000	12.130	12.030	12.120	12.090	12.9^ab	14.9^ab	16.4^ab	14.7^ab	0.4500^b	0.5050	0.5600	0.5030
1000	600	12.060	12.080	12.120	12.090	11.9^de	13.8^e	15.1^e	13.6^e	0.4500^b	0.5000	0.5580	0.5030
1000	800	12.090	12.140	12.120	12.12	12.7^bc	14.7^bc	16.2^abc	14.6^b	0.4450^bc	0.5050	0.5650	0.5050
1000	1000	12.050	12.080	12.130	12.090	13.1^a	15.8^a	16.7^a	15.1^a	0.4600^a	0.5180	0.5700	0.5180
Main effect
Vitamin E
600		12.050	12.180	12.110	12.120	11.67	13.60	14.93	13.41	0.4410	0.4880^b	0.5320^c	0.4870^c
800		12.070	12.090	12.100	12.090	12.26	14.13	15.44	13.93	0.4480	0.5030^a	0.5560^b	0.5010^b
1000		12.070	12.100	12.120	12.100	12.54	14.63	15.99	14.40	0.4520	0.5080^a	0.5640^a	0.5080^a
Vitamin C
600		12.040	12.110	12.120	12.090	11.52	13.20	14.33	13.02	0.4470	0.4960^b	0.5430^b	0.4950^b
800		12.080	12.160	12.110	12.120	12.32	14.34	15.78	14.14	0.4440	0.4980^ab	0.5530^a	0.4980^ab
1000		12.070	12.100	12.110	12.090	12.63	14.81	16.27	15.58	0.4500	0.5040^a	0.5560^a	0.5030^a
SEM		0.038	0.052	0.026	0.023	0.08	0.11	0.17	0.07	0.0016	0.0035	0.0032	0.0029
p-values
Vitamin E		.660	.080	.540	.310	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.010	<.010	<.010	<.010
Vitamin C		.450	.310	.890	.360	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.01	<.010	.020	<.010	.010
Vitamin E × C		.390	.730	.450	.830	.02	.07	.09	.03	<.010	.110	.890	.140

N:F, number of produced eggs to feed ratio; W:F, weight of produced eggs to feed ratio.

¹ Number of samples= 10 eggs/replicate.

² Egg width/egg length; number of samples= 5eggs/replicate.

^a,b,c,d,e,fMeans within a column with different superscript letters differ (p ≤ 0.05).