Y Ghanim Kesab - Department of Animal production, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
R Nasser Waleed - Department of Animal production, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq
M Mahmood Khaleel - Department of Animal production, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Mosul, Iraq

Two strains of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), including ۲۵۰ birds of desert and ۲۵۰ birds of white color, all one day old and unsexed, were divided into five treatment groups with ۵۰ replicates in each group. These treatments included five levels of metabolism energy (ME) levels, including ۲۷۰۰, ۲۸۰۰, ۲۹۰۰, ۳۰۰۰, and ۳۱۰۰ Kcal/Kg diet. The study included one stage from day ۱ to day ۴۲ of birds’ age. The results confirmed a statistically significant difference (P≤۰.۰۵) caused by ME levels in the body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (feed [g]: weight gain [g]), water consumption, water conversion ratio (ml: weight gain[g]), protein conversion ratio (protein [g]: weight gain [g]), energy conversion ratio (Kcal: weight gain [g]), carcass weight, in addition to albumin and triglyceride. Therefore, the results showed significant effects (P≤۰.۰۵) of ME levels and the interaction on feed consumption, protein consumption, edible giblet percentage, tenderness, and juiciness. Significant differences (P≤۰.۰۵) were also caused by ME levels in the total cholesterol. In addition, significant differences (P≤۰.۰۵) have been found in the interaction on mortality percentage. Net return (Iraqi Dinar/live weight [Kg]) for desert quail was better than that for the white quail (۲۹۰۰ Kcal/Kg diet), and the interaction effect was stronger on the desert strain with ۲۹۰۰ Kcal than the white strain.

Metabolism Energy, productive performance, quail