Effects of level of crude protein and calorie/protein ratio on quial growth

Abstract

This study was observed for a period of 35 days during which the birds (quails) were fed on feeds that were formulated. A pre-trial and two actual trials were conducted to investigate the effect of different protein levels and calorie/protein ratios in the diets. The diets for pre-trial and first actual trial had 27% and 24% CP at 2900 kcal/kg ME with calorie-protein ratios of 107 and 121, respectively. While diets for second trial had 24% and 20% CP at 2900 kcal/kg having different calorie-protein ratios of 121 and145,respectively.Sixty-four (64) unsexed chicks which had just hatched were put into two groups randomly and were observed for a period of 7 days (pre-trial). At the end of pr-trial phase the birds were distributed in a 2 X 2 Factorial laid as Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each treatment (feed) had four replications and there were 6 birds in each experimental unit. In the second trial an infection was suspected to have occurred and about 8% mortality was recorded. The Analysis of Variance on feed intake and body weights showed a significant difference (p≤0.05) between starter 1(27% CP) and starter 2 (24% CP) during the first trial. The results of feed intake, body weights and feed conversion ratio for the second trial did not show a significant difference between grower 1(24% CP) and grower 2 (20% CP). Further more, the ANOVA on breast muscle weights, liver weights and fat extracted from Liver samples of slaughtered birds at the end of the second trial showed no significant difference between the treatments.In addition, the ZABS and NRC recommendations gave different growth performances of birds in the first trial. In the second trial the two recommendations (ZABS and NRC) did not show any difference in terms of growth performance.