Impacts of varying dietary energy and crude protein levels on growth, carcase traits and digestibility coefficients of growing Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) during the summer season

Figures & data

Table 1. Composition (%) and analysis of growing quail diets.

Protein level, %	22			24			26
Energy level, Kcal ME/kg	2800	2900	3000	2800	2900	3000	2800	2900	3000
Yellow corn	57.57	61.00	63.02	54.13	57.27	58.69	51.82	51.96	52.72
Wheat bran	5.00	0.00	0.00	4.00	0.00	0.00	3.00	0.00	0.00
Corn gluten 60%	4.00	5.00	7.00	5.50	6.00	10.00	7.00	8.00	11.00
Soy bean meal 44%	28.00	29.50	23.10	30.10	30.10	24.60	32.10	33.10	29.00
Fish meal 72%	2.00	1.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00	3.00
Cotton seed oil	0.00	0.00	0.35	0.00	0.40	0.40	0.00	0.80	1.20
Salt	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30
Premix*	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30	0.30
Dicalcium phosphate	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50	1.50
Limestone	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
L-Lysine	0.13	0.18	0.26	0.04	0.03	0.16	0.00	0.00	0.00
D-L Methionine	0.21	0.22	0.16	0.13	0.12	0.07	0.07	0.04	0.00
Analysis**
CP%	22.04	21.90	22.08	24.02	24.10	24.04	26.00	25.96	26.05
ME (Kcal /Kg)	2804	2913	3011	2827	2922	3008	2834	2930	3006
Lysine	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60	1.60
Ca%	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87	0.87
P%	0.42	0.40	0.44	0.45	0.44	0.47	0.46	0.46	0.48
Methionine + Cystine %	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98	0.98

*Grower Vit. Min. premix: Each 2.5 kg consists of Vit. A 12000.000 IU; Vit. D3, 2000.000 IU; Vit. E, 10 g; Vit k3, 2 g; Vit B1, 1000 mg; Vit B2, 4 g; Vit B6, 1.5 g; Vit B12, 10 mg; Pantothenic acid, 10 g; Niacin, 20 g; Folic acid, 1000 mg; Biotin, 50 mg; Choline chloride, 500 g; Fe, 30 g; Mn, 40 g; Cu, 3 g; Co, 200 mg; Si, 100 mg and Zn, 45 g. **NRC (1994).

CP: crude protein; ME: metabolisable energy.

Table 2. Growth performance (X ± SE) of Japanese quail chicks as influenced by energy and protein levels during the experimental period (1–6 weeks of age).

Traits	Energy level (Kcal ME /Kg)				Protein level (%)
	2800	2900	3000	P value	22	24	26	P value
Body weight (g)
1 week	16.2 ± 0.59	15.9 ± 0.60	16.2 ± 0.62	0.562	15.7 ± 0.57	16.6 ± 0.61	16.0 ± 0.62	0.414
3 weeks	66.5 ± 1.77	65.5 ± 1.58	70.1 ± 1.82	0.215	67.5 ± 1.69	67.2 ± 1.80	67.4 ± 1.83	0.054
6 weeks	157.5 ± 2.14	158.5 ± 2.17	159.1 ± 2.24	0.125	158.9 ± 2.08^b	161.8 ± 3.02^a	154.4 ± 2.12^b	0.033
Daily body weight gain (g)
1–3 weeks	3.4 ± 0.24	3.3 ± 0.22	3.6 ± 0.49	0.086	3.5 ± 0.34	3.4 ± 0.27	3.4 ± 0.155	0.545
4–6 weeks	4.3 ± 0.31	4.2 ± 0.12	4.4 ± 0.25	0.084	4.3 ± 0.30	4.5 ± 0.21	4.1 ± 1.45	0.511
1–6 weeks	3.9 ± 0.09	4.0 ± 0.07	4.0 ± 0.17	0.128	4.0 ± 0.13	4.0 ± 0.11	3.8 ± 0.10	0.554
Daily feed intake (g)
1–3 weeks	10.4 ± 0.82	11.0 ± 0.26	11.2 ± 1.42	0.241	10.9 ± 0.88	10.4 ± 0.84	11.3 ± 0.108	0.845
4–6 weeks	16.6 ± 0.94	16.5 ± 1.02	16.2 ± 0.73	0.651	17.0 ± 0.47^a	16.1 ± 0.50^b	16.2 ± 0.53^b	0.002
1–6 weeks	16.0 ± 1.38	15.7 ± 0.96	15.5 ± 0.58	0.214	16.0 ± 0.40	15.8 ± 1.08	15.0 ± 1.14	0.064
Feed conversion
1–3 weeks	2.99 ± 0.10	3.26 ± 0.21	3.25 ± 0.19	0.211	3.14 ± 0.20	3.17 ± 0.19	3.15 ± 0.11	0.536
4–6 weeks	3.81 ± 0.13	3.72 ± 0.24	3.95 ± 0.17	0.117	3.92 ± 0.13	3.64 ± 0.11	3.92 ± 0.10	0.544
1–6 weeks	4.03 ± 0.10	3.94 ± 0.09	4.16 ± 0.21	0.854	4.11 ± 0.11	4.08 ± 0.20	3.94 ± 0.11	0.961
Mortality rate
1–6 weeks	6.1 ± 2.79	10.3 ± 1.90	7.7 ± 2.45	0.085	9.0 ± 2.35	7.7 ± 3.01	8.4 ± 2.09	0.556

Means in the same row within each classification bearing different letters are significantly (P < 0.05) different.

Table 3. Digestibility coefficients and nutritive values of growing Japanese quail diets as influenced by energy, protein levels and their interaction during the summer season.

Dietary treatment		Digestibility coefficients %						Nutritional values (as fed)
Energy level (Kcal ME /Kg)	Protein level (%)	DM	CP	EE	CF	NFE	OM	TDN %	ME (Kcal /Kg)
2800		67.20 ± 1.94	83.50 ± 0.29^b	67.20 ± 2.39^b	27.90 ± 1.10	77.80 ± 0.48^b	66.05 ± 0.25^c	66.05 ± 0.25^c	2774.10 ± 10.65^c
2900		66.90 ± 1.04	83.40 ± 0.40^b	71.90 ± 1.80^a	29.40 ± 1.41	77.80 ± 0.61^b	69.10 ± 0.09^b	69.10 ± 0.09^b	2902.20 ± 8.71^b
3000		68.40 ± 0.94	84.40 ± 0.09^a	72.40 ± 2.03^a	29.60 ± 0.81	79.50 ± 0.08^a	71.84 ± 0.31^a	71.84 ± 0.31^a	3017.50 ± 12.01^a
P value		0.543	0.021	0.001	0.245	0.030	0.684	0.001	0.001
	22	70.00 ± 2.10 a	83.20 ± 0.33^b	63.40 ± 1.09^b	26.60 ± 2.01^b	80.20 ± 0.37^a	67.30 ± 0.09 ^b	69.11 ± 0.26	2902.80 ± 10.81
	24	68.01 ± 2.40b	84.90 ± 0.08^a	68.90 ± 0.91^a	27.40 ± 1.80^ab	77.90 ± 0.20^b	70.40 ± 0.51 ^a	69.25 ± 0.19	2908.70 ± 9.13
	26	65.90 ± 1.72 c	83.30 ± 0.41^b	69.90 ± 2.09^a	29.90 ± 2.31^a	77.00 ± 0.19^b	71.50 ± 0.40 ^a	68.63 ± 0.22	2882.40 ± 9.69
P value		0.001	0.001	0.001	0.035	0.001	0.001	0.512	0.321
2800	22	69.70 ± 3.36	82.50 ± 0.50^a	60.80 ± 4.15^b	25.80 ± 2.06	81.30 ± 0.84^a	70.60 ± 0.88 ^a	67.30 ± 0.44 ^bc	2826.00 ± 18.45^bc
	24	69.05 ± 2.91	83.60 ± 0.31^b	65.10 ± 2.81^b	24.80 ± 1.71	76.50 ± 0.91^b	71.50 ± 0.77 ^a	65.63 ± 0.51 ^c	2756.40 ± 19.71 ^c
	26	64.40 ± 1.99	82.40 ± 0.41^b	66.70 ± 3.21^b	28.30 ± 0.99	75.60 ± 1.02^b	65.90 ± 1.13 ^b	65.23 ± 0.31 ^c	2739.90 ± 16.02 ^c
2900	22	71.40 ± 3.26	84.60 ± 0.50^a	68.10 ± 4.01^ab	27.90 ± 2.11	81.50 ± 0.71^a	73.20 ± 1.00 ^a	69.70 ± 0.44^b	2927.60 ± 18.40^b
	24	65.10 ± 3.00	84.00 ± 0.42^a	70.60 ± 3.01^ab	31.80 ± 1.81	77.50 ± 0.19^b	69.70 ± 0.91 ^a	68.85 ± 0.80^b	2891.70 ± 20.80^b
	26	63.80 ± 2.50	81.70 ± 0.09^b	74.70 ± 3.00 ^a	33.40 ± 2.01	76.30 ± 0.81^b	65.80 ± 0.70 ^b	68.75 ± 0.99^b	2887.50 ± 22.41^b
3000	22	69.00 ± 3.01	82.50 ± 0.70^b	72.00 ± 1.91 ^a	36.60 ± 1.61	78.60 ± 1.13^b	69.50 ± 0.59 ^a	70.35 ± 0.22^b	2954.80 ± 15.90^b
	24	68.80 ± 1.77	86.00 ± 0.55^a	74.10 ± 1.92 ^a	31.50 ± 2.02	80.80 ± 0.66^a	70.00 ± 0.80 ^a	73.70 ± 1.01 ^a	3077.90 ± 24.01 ^a
	26	67.50 ± 3.26	84.80 ± 0.49 ^a	76.40 ± 0.85 ^a	29.30 ± 1.19	80.10 ± 0.83^a	70.20 ± 0.91 ^a	71.90 ± 0.52 ^a b	3019.90 ± 18.91 ^a b
P value		0.519	0.001	0.001	0.518	0.028	0.001	0.001	0.001

Means in the same column within each classification bearing different letters are significantly (P < 0.05) different.

DM: dry matter, CP: crude protein, EE: ether extract, CF: crude fibre, NFE: nitrogen-free extract, OM: organic matter, TDN: total digested nutrients.

Table 4. Some carcase traits (g/100g Pre-slaughter weight) of growing Japanese quail as influenced by energy, protein levels and their interaction during the summer season.

Energy level (Kcal /Kg)	Protein level (%)	Pre-slaughter weight(g)	Carcase (%)	Giblets (%)	Dressing (%)
2800		161.1 ± 2.42	77.7 ± 0.51	4.6 ± 0.31^b	82.3 ± 2.12^a
2900		161.1 ± 3.16	75.8 ± 0.84	5.1 ± 0.80^a	80.9 ± 3.10^b
3000		169.0 ± 1.28	75.6 ± 0.69	4.3 ± 0.54^b	79.9 ± 0.99^b
P value		0.654	0.413	0.021	0.038
	22	166.8 ± 4.41	76.0 ± 0.78	5.1 ± 0.29^a	81.1 ± 2.31
	24	158.5 ± 2.62	76.8 ± 0.71	4.7 ± 0.45^ab	81.5 ± 1.92
	26	166.0 ± 3.25	76.4 ± 0.60	4.3 ± 0.28^b	80.7 ± 0.97
P value		0.654	0.861	0.041	0.095
2800	22	159.6 ± 3.91	76.5 ± 0.63	4.9 ± 0.45	81.4 ± 0.69
	24	154.1 ± 3.21	78.0 ± 1.21	4.6 ± 0.37	82.6 ± 0.55
	26	169.1 ± 2.83	78.7 ± 0.93	4.3 ± 0.72	83.0 ± 0.91
2900	22	168.3 ± 2.51	76.1 ± 1.15	5.9 ± 0.46	82.0 ± 0.90
	24	160.7 ± 4.11	75.6 ± 1.24	5.1 ± 0.53	80.7 ± 0.74
	26	154.2 ± 3.62	75.7 ± 0.84	4.4 ± 0.57	80.1 ± 0.88
3000	22	172.6 ± 1.98	74.5 ± 0.95	4.6 ± 0.48	79.1 ± 1.04
	24	160.6 ± 2.91	77.0 ± 0.72	4.3 ± 0.61	81.3 ± 0.95
	26	173.9 ± 3.17	75.3 ± 0.97	4.2 ± 0.39	79.5 ± 0.79
P value		0.856	0.431	0.322	0.645

Means in the same column within each classification bearing different letters are significantly (P < 0.05) different.

Table 5. Growth performance (X ± SE) of Japanese quail chicks was influenced by the interaction between energy and protein levels during the experimental periods (1–6 weeks of age).

Energy level (Kcal ME/Kg)	2800			2900			3000			P value
Protein level (%)	22	24	26	22	24	26	22	24	26
Body weight (g)
1 week	16.0 ± 0.42	16.2 ± 0.35	16.3 ± 0.35	15.4 ± 0.54	16.7 ± 0.08	15.6 ± 0.21	15.6 ± 0.27	16.8 ± 0.31	16.2 ± 0.68	0.235
3 weeks	66.3 ± 3.08	64.9 ± 0.63	68.4 ± 1.40	67.7 ± 3.33	66.7 ± 0.44	62.1 ± 3.48	68.4 ± 3.77	69.9 ± 0.36	71.8 ± 3.29	0.145
6 weeks	162.6 ± 3.66	159.8 ± 1.51	152.2 ± 2.01	161.2 ± 3.58	158.6 ± 0.94	155.7 ± 2.74	152.8 ± 3.51	167.2 ± 3.84	157.3 ± 4.22	0.351
Daily body weight gain (g)
1–3 weeks	3.4 ± 0.37	3.3 ± 0.06	3.5 ± 0.08	3.5 ± 0.22	3.3 ± 0.29	3.1 ± 0.26	3.5 ± 0.23	3.5 ± 0.14	3.7 ± 0.25	0.553
3–6 weeks	4.6 ± 0.19	4.5 ± 0.13	3.9 ± 0.14	4.4 ± 0.07	4.3 ± 0.22	4.3 ± 0.27	4.6 ± 0.46	4.6 ± 0.16	4.1 ± 0.09	0.225
1–6 weeks	4.1 ± 0.08	4.0 ± 0.07	3.7 ± 0.13	4.0 ± 0.13	3.9 ± 0.08	3.8 ± 0.02	3.8 ± 0.20	4.2 ± 0.17	3.9 ± 0.15	0.314
Daily feed intake (g)
1–3 weeks	10.3 ± 0.07	10.0 ± 0.26	10.5 ± 0.70	11.2 ± 0.30	10.9 ± 0.13	11.0 ± 1.10	11.2 ± 0.51	10.4 ± 0.42	12.0 ± 0.53	0.541
3–6 weeks	17.1 ± 0.28	16.4 ± 0.16	16.0 ± 0.16	17.2 ± 0.46	16.0 ± 0.48	16.6 ± 0.21	16.7 ± 0.22	15.8 ± 0.37	16.2 ± 0.33	0.332
1–6 weeks	16.5 ± 0.31	15.8 ± 0.57	15.7 ± 0.46	15.9 ± 0.29	16.1 ± 0.36	15.3 ± 0.68	15.6 ± 0.11	15.7 ± 0.54	15.0 ± 0.45	0.456
Feed conversion
1–3 weeks	2.83 ± 0.17	2.93 ± 0.08	3.09 ± 0.03	3.38 ± 0.30	3.29 ± 0.17	3.10 ± 0.10	3.20 ± 0.20	3.30 ± 0.09	3.26 ± 0.13	0.548
3–6 weeks	3.66 ± 1.01	3.68 ± 0.81	4.11 ± 0.22	3.81 ± 0.41	3.75 ± 0.08	3.67 ± 0.15	4.31 ± 1.00	3.55 ± 0.29	4.01 ± 0.11	0.647
1–6 weeks	4.04 ± 0.17	3.85 ± 0.12	4.19 ± 1.01	3.99 ± 0.09	4.09 ± 0.15	3.75 ± 0.17	4.29 ± 0.09	4.31 ± 0.12	3.88 ± 0.11	0.641
Mortality rate
1–6 weeks	5.7 ± 4.84	3.80 ± 2.67	4.89 ± 3.91	9.6 ± 4.41	10.6 ± 3.62	9.7 ± 4.71	9.6 ± 2.98	7.8 ± 4.05	10.6 ± 4.80	0.364

NRC 1994. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9th Edn., Washington, DC., USA: National Academy Press. ISBN-13: 9780309048927. p. 155.

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Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [Abd El-Hack, M.E.], upon reasonable request.