The effect of feeding with low-protein feed mixes on the growth and slaughter value of young male Pharaoh quails

Abstract

Experimental material consisted of one-day Pharaoh quail chicks, which were separated into three experimental groups. The birds of group I received a fodder, the nutritive value of which was consistent with recommended feeding standards for growing quails, whereas for those of group II and III the protein level was lowered in all feed mixes appropriated for the whole rearing period. During the experiment, individual body weight, feed consumption, and bird deaths and their health culling were controlled. At the age of 42 days, 11 males of each group, with a body weight similar to the group mean, were slaughtered. In blood samples collected, the level of amylase was assayed, as well as quail slaughter value was calculated and depot fat and extramuscular fat contents were determined. Meat chemical determinations were made (dry matter, protein and fat contents), as well as physicochemical (pH, colour, water binding capacity) and sensory ones (cooked meat and bouillon). Basing on the performed examination, it was found that a lowered level of protein in fodder did not affect quail body weight, slaughter yield, or breast part and leg participation in body weight. Carcass fatness decreased and meat water binding capacity improved. The values of majority of other examined meat qualitative traits were similar to those obtained in control group.

Effect of Age and Sex on Slaughter Value of Guinea Fowl ( Numida Meleagris)

“…Similar L* values (43.12-46.66) were obtained for game pheasants by Kuźniacka et al [20] and markedly lower (33.69-35.42) in quail [32]. Meanwhile, Bianchi and Fletcher [10] found lower L* values (darker colour) in chickens with thicker breast muscles and higher rate of growth.…”

Body conformation and morphometry of some internal organs of Pharaoh quail of different ages

“…It was 0.3% in 35-day-old birds and 1.1% in 45-day-old birds. In an earlier study (Tarasewicz et al, 2007), the proportion of testicles in 42-day-old male Pharaoh quail was greater (2.07%) than in our study.…”

“…Younger quail were characterized by significantly lower testicular weight, which was 0.4 g in 35-day-old birds and 1.9 g in 45-day-old birds. Tarasewicz et al (2007), who investigated the effect of giving a low-protein feed on the growth and slaughter value of Pharaoh quail, found higher testicular weight in 42-day-old males (3.4 g). The proportion of liver (Table 7) was lower in birds aged 35 days compared to 45-day-old birds (2.2 and 2.4%, respectively).…”

“…Japanese quail are significantly more often used as experimental animals in scientific research. It was found that the weight, body conformation, and morphometry of internal organs of quail are influenced by many factors such as birds' age (Yalcin et al, 1995;Mihailov, 2006;Mihailov et al, 2008) and sex (Shata, 2001), type and composition of feed (Tarasewicz et al, 2007), type of feed additives (Aydin et al, 2004;Sarica et al, 2009;Bonos et al, 2010;Teshfam et al, 2011), rearing methods (Kul et al, 2006), stocking density (Abdel-Azeem, 2010) and ambient temperature (Özbey et al, 2004). Mihailov et al (2008) observed that the digestive tract of Japanese quail becomes morphologically and functionally mature between 7 and 14 days of age, after which the linear changes in the digestive tract are less significant.…”

Effects of Dietary Protein, Energy and Lysine Intake on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Growing Japanese Quails

“…Gheisari et al (2011) indicated that increasing dietary CP in the different stages of growth from very low, medium and high levels significantly (p#0.05) increased LBW and BWG of growing Japanese quails. Contradicting results were reported by Tarasewicz et al (2007) found that, quail fed diet containing very low-CP level gave significantly lower LBW than those fed high protein diet.…”