mansor saravani; Kamal Shojaeian; mehran mehri; Farzad Bagherzadeh Kasmani
Volume 21, Issue 1 , April 2019, , Pages 139-150
Abstract
In order to study the effect of different levels of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) and calcium on performance, bone composition and carcass characteristics of Japanese quail, a total of 720 quail chicks were used in a 3×3 factorial arrangement with completely randomized design including three ...
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In order to study the effect of different levels of dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) and calcium on performance, bone composition and carcass characteristics of Japanese quail, a total of 720 quail chicks were used in a 3×3 factorial arrangement with completely randomized design including three levels of DEB (150, 250 and 350 mEq/kg) and three levels of dietary calcium (0.4, 0.8, and 1.6%) in 9 treatments, 5 replications and 16 birds per each replicate from 14 to 35 days of age. The results showed that the birds fed diet containing 0.4% calcium and 250 mEq/kg DEB had the highest feed intake (P<0.05). Experimental treatments had no effect on feed conversion ratio. At both 0.4 and 0.8% of dietary calcium level, the highest bone calcium content was observed at 150 mEq/kg DEB (P<0.05). The minimum kidney weight was observed in treatment containing 1.6% calcium and 150 mEg/kg DEB and the maximum thigh and breast relative weights were observed in treatment containing 0.8% calcium and 150 mEq/kg DEB (P<0.05). In conclusion, the interaction of dietary calcium and DEB could be considered as an important limitation in the feed formulation of growing Japanese quail.