Digestible arginine concentrations in the diet of Japanese quails

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of arginine in the diet of Japanese quails and to determine which provides the best egg production indices. We used 400 birds with an initial average weight of 180 g at 140 days of age. These were distributed among experimental units in a randomized design. Five levels of digestible arginine were studied (1.148, 1.256, 1.364, 1.472, and 1.580%) in reference to a fixed level of digestible lysine (1.083%; for arginine to lysine ratios of 1.06, 1.16, 1.26, 1.36, and 1.46). Each treatment was replicated 10 times for a total of 50 experimental units, each with eight quails. Feed rations, leftovers, and dead animals were weighed to calculate and adjust performance parameters. The variables analyzed were: daily feed intake (DFI), egg laying rate (ER), average egg weight (EW), total egg mass (EM), feed conversion per egg mass and per dozen eggs (FCEM and FCDE), yolk, skin, and albumen weights (AYW, ASW and AAW), relative weights of yolk, albumen and shell (RYW, RAW and RSW), the Haugh unit (HU), and the percentage of eggs suitable for market (EP). The variables associated with performance and internal and external quality were not affected (P > 0.05) by different levels of arginine, except for EP, which decreased linearly (P = 0.009) with increasing arginine according to the equation: Ŷ = -3.44x + 103.13, r² = 0.94. We conclude that the best concentration of arginine in quail diets is 1.148%, corresponding to an arginine to lysine ratio of 1.06. Key words: Antagonism. Poultry. Amino acid imbalance. ResumoObjetivou-se avaliar o efeito de diferentes níveis de arginina digestível e determinar aquele que proporciona os melhores índices produtivos em dietas para codornas japonesas em postura. Foram utilizadas 400 aves com peso médio inicial de 180 gramas aos 140 dias de idade, distribuídas nas unidades experimentais em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. Foram utilizados cinco níveis crescentes de arginina digestível (1,148; 1,256; 1,364; 1,472; 1,580%) sob um nível fixo de lisina digestível de 1,083%, correspondendo à relação arginina: lisina digestível de (1,06; 1,16; 1,26; 1,36; 1,46), portanto, foram cinco tratamentos com dez repetições cada, num total de 50 unidades experimentais. Cada unidade experimental continha oito codornas. As rações, as sobras e os animais mortos eram pesados a fim de se calcular e ajustar os parâmetros de desempenho. As variáveis analisadas foram: consumo de ração diário (CRD), taxa de postura (TP), peso médio dos ovos (PO), massa dos ovos (MO), conversão alimentar por massa de ovos e por dúzia de ovos (CAMO e CADO), pesos da gema, casca e albúmen (PG, PC e PA), pesos relativos da gema, da casca e do albúmen (PRG, PRC e PRA), além da unidade Haugh (UH) e percentual de ovos comercializáveis (OC). As variáveis de desempenho e de qualidade interna e externa de ovos em análise não foram afetadas (P>0,05) pelos diferentes níveis de arginina, a exceção do parâmetro ovos comercializáveis que decresceu linearmente (P=...

Optimal Standardized Ileal Digestible Arginine to Lysine Ratio for Japanese Quails in the Egg-Laying Phase

“…In the current study, it was observed that increasing Arg:Lys ratios did not compromise the performance or egg quality traits of Japanese quails. However, contrary to our findings, Maurício et al (2016) observed a linear decrease egg production when Japanese quails were fed SID Arg:Lys ratios ranging from 106 to 146%, showing detrimental effects of excessive Arg supply on the performance, and that a 106% SID Arg:Lys ratio warrants proper quail performance.…”

“…Although such nutritional recommendations are important references, further studies are needed to update the nutritional requirements of Japanese quails. Reis et al, 2012 andMaurício et al, 2016 demonstrated that the optimal SID Arg:Lys ratios for Japanese quails are lower than the recommendations mentioned above. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the optimal SID (standardized ileal digestible) Arg:Lys ratio for Japanese quails in the egglaying phase.…”

Arginine requirement for egg production in Japanese quail

“…Eight studies were found on the arginine requirement for Japanese quails in laying phase ( Reis et al., 2012 ; Cavalcante, 2013 ; Santos, 2013 ; Silva, 2014 ; Bülbül et al., 2015 ; Maurício et al., 2016 ; Maurício et al., 2018 ; Tuesta et al., 2018 ) and the arginine requirement ranged from 0.945% to 1.472% or 253 to 377 mg/ bird per day. On the one hand, Ball et al.…”

Amino Acid for Japanese Quails: Methodologies and Nutritional Requirement

“…[45] evaluated diferent levels of digestible arginine in the diet of Japanese quails, with diets formulated by the supplementation technique, estimated an ideal dietary arginine level of 1.148% in diets with 1.083% digestible lysine and relation arginine/lysine of 1.06.…”

“…The supplementation technique is widely used [38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45] and has generated a large number of discrepant nutritional information. The main factor is the imbalance between amino acids.…”