Dietary Cumin (Cuminum cyminum) Seed Powder Supplementation Had No Adverse Effects on Growth Performance and Carcass Traits of Japanese quail, Coturnix coturnix japonica

Abstract

The present study was conducted to explore the usage of different levels of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) seed powder (CSP) in quail nutrition as a natural growth promoter. One hundred (oneday-old) unsexed quail chicks were randomly divided into five groups of similar mean weight (8.8 g), each with five replicates of four chicks. The control group received a basal diet. For the other groups, the basal diet was supplemented with 1, 2, 4 and 8 g/kg CSP. The observed variables included growth performance, carcass parts and internal organ weights. Results showed that CSP did not affect the observed variables statistically. However, the best FCR ratio was observed in an 8 g/kg CSP group. Similarly, the highest live weight among the animals slaughtered in all groups in the study was again in the same group (8 g/kg CSP: 304.9 g), but no statistical difference between was observed with all groups. There was no incidence of any mortality or any signs of the adverse effects of CSP during the experimental period. Dietary CSP supplementation had not any adverse effects on growth performance and carcass parts weight. Consequently, further studies are needed to investigate the effects of CSP on the meat quality and digestive system in poultry.