Evaluation of using different levels and sources of medicinal herbs in growing japanese quail diets [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Six hundred and seventy five one day old, unsexed, Japanese quails were performed to evaluate the effect of adding two levels, 0.3 or 0.5% of each source from some medicinal feed additives (MFA) i.e. Spearmint (Mentha viridis), Marjoram (Marjorana hortensia), Sweat basil (Ocimum basillcum), and Santonica (Artemisia cinae), to Japanese quail diet, on perfonnance, digestibility, some metabolic functions and the economic efficiency. Quails were divided equally into 9 groups containing 75 birds each. Each group contained 3 replicates, of 25 quails. Each treatment of the tested diets contained one source of MFA at level of 0.3 or 0.5%. The control diet had no additions. The experiment was terminated when birds were 6 weeks old. Body weight, weight gain and feed intake were recorded. Feed conversion (feed / gain) was calculated. At the end of the experiment ca.rcass characteristics were measured, blood samples were taken to determine some blood plasma constituents and some birds were kept for the digestibility experiments. The economic efficiency values were calculated. The data revealed that, birds fed diets contain high (0.5%) level of Spearmint (S), Sweat basil (SB), or Santonica (SAN) recorded the highest (P < 0.05) body weight and body gain compared with other dietary treatments. Birds fed diets contain either 0.3 or 0.5% levels of SAN, recorded the lowest (P<0.05) values of feed intake and the best (p<0.01) feed conversion (feed, g/gain, g) efficiency. The absolute and the proportions of carcass and edible giblets were improved (P<0.05) when birds fed high level (0.5%) of dietary S. Adding MFA i.e. S, M, SB and SAN to the control diet of Japanese quail improved (P<0.05) organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP),ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) digestibility. Birds fed control or 0.3% M diets recorded the Lowest (P<0.05) values of CP digestibility. However, birds. fed dietary 0.5% of S diet recorded the highest (P<0.05) values of CP digestibility compared with other MFA diets. The highest(P>0.05) value of CF digestibility was noticed when birds fed dietary 0.3% S compared with other MFA diets. Blood plasma samples presented an improvement (P < 0.05) in total protein, albumin and total lipids for birds fed diets containing MFA supplementation. The best (P<0.05) value of globulin was noticed when birds fed 0.3% SB diet. All birds fed MFA additions at 0.3 or 0.5% levels showed a reduction (P<0.05) in blood cholesterol values. The inclusion of MFA in Japanese quail diets recorded the higher economic efficiency (expressed as % net revenue/feed cost) compared with control diet Moreover. the Santonica diets recorded the best economic efficiency compared with other diets.

Summary in Arabic.

1