GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND EGG PRODUCTION OF JAPANESE QUAILS FED DIETS CONTAINING VARYING LEVELS OF MOLASSES FLAVOURED SUN – DRIED CASSAVA PEEL MEAL

Abstract

A total of 400 two weeks old Japanese quails of mixed sexes with mean initial body weight of 37.83 g± and 160, six weeks old female Japanese quails were used to evaluate the effect of replacing molasses flavoured sun - dried cassava peel meal for maize on the growth and egg production performance of the birds, respectively. The birds were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments designated T1 (0 % MFSCPM), T2 (50 % MFSCPM), T3 (75 % MFSCPM) and T4 (0 % MFSCPM) containing replacement levels of 0, 50, 75 and 100 % of maize with molasses flavoured sun - dried cassava peel meal. Each dietary treatment group had five replicates of 20 birds each for the growth phase study; but at the laying phase, each treatment had four replicates of 10 birds each in a completely randomized experimental design model. The crude protein level was set at 24 and 20 % for growth and laying phases respectively; feed and water were given ad-libitum. The growth phase lasted for 4 weeks while the laying phase lasted for ten weeks. The data collected during the feeding trial include initial body weight, daily feed intake, daily body weight gain, weekly body weight, feed conversion ratio, nutrients digestibility, carcass characteristics, egg production and egg quality characteristics. All data collected were subjected to one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS 2007, The results of growth performance showed that all the parameters measured were not significantly (P>0.05) different. However, birds on 75 % replacement level of molasses flavoured sun – dried cassava peel meal had the highest numerical values for final body weight (116.70 g), daily feed intake (11.69 g), daily weight gain (3.60 g) but poorer feed conversion ratio (1.33). The results of nutrients digestibility showed that there were no significant (P>0.05) differences in the apparent digestibility of the nutrients except for crude protein which showed that Quails fed 0 % MFSCPM (82.59 %) and 50 % MFSCPM (82.54 %) had the best apparent protein digestibility while those fed 75 % MFSCPM had the lowest protein digestibility of (79.94 %). The results of carcass characteristics showed significant (P<0.05) differences among all body parts except the head. Birds fed 100 % replacement of MFSCPM had better (p<0.05) dressed weight, thigh, drumstick and shank values compared to birds fed the other treatment diets. The results of the internal organs showed significant (P<0.05) differences among all organs except the lungs. The results of the egg production and egg quality parameters showed significant ((P<0.05) differences across dietary treatments except egg shape index and shell thickness. From the results obtained in this study, it was concluded that molasses flavoured sun - dried cassava peel meal could completely replace maize in the diets of growing and laying Japanese quails without any adverse effects on growth, egg production and egg quality of the birds