Effects of in-feed blend spices on growth performance, digestibility profile and production cost of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica)

The side effects and banning of synthetic antibiotics made researchers to turn towards phytobiotics which has been hypothesise to act as synthetic antibiotics, having no side effects and having positive returns. The present study was assigned to evaluate the effects of in-feed blend Afrostyrax lepidophyllus, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Dichrostachys glomerata and Syzygium aromaticum on production performances of Japanese quails. A total of 144 two weeks old Japanese quails were randomly assigned to 6 treatments with 4 replicates of 6 birds each in a completely randomised design. The treatments consisted of incorporating in 1 kg of basal diet (T0), 1 g of antibiotic Doxycyclin (T0+), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Afrostyrax lepidophyllus (T1), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Tetrapleura tetraptera (T2), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Syzygium aromaticum (T3) and 4 g (1/1/1/1) blend of all four spices (T4). Throughout the study (35 days), feed intake, live body weight, weight gain significantly (p<0.05) decreased with in-feed blend spices while feed conversion ratio was comparable (p>0.05) in all treatments. Dry matter and organic matter digestibility were comparable (p>0.05) meanwhile crude protein (97.82%) and crude cellulose (87.79%) digestibility were highest (p<0.05) in animals fed on blend D. glomerata - S. aromaticum. Apart for quails fed on synthetic antibiotic treatment, intestine length was lowest (p<0.05) compared to all treatments, carcass characteristics and digestive organ’s mensurations were comparable amongst treatments. Meanwhile, feed intake costs 223.25 and 238.95 Fcfa were respectively lowest (p<0.05) with blend D. glomerata - T. tetraptera and D. glomerata - S. aromaticum. It was concluded that incorporating 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Syzygium aromaticum in quail’s feed improve protein and cellulose digestibility and reduce feed intake cost.The side effects and banning of synthetic antibiotics made researchers to turn towards phytobiotics which has been hypothesise to act as synthetic antibiotics, having no side effects and having positive returns. The present study was assigned to evaluate the effects of in-feed blend Afrostyrax lepidophyllus, Tetrapleura tetraptera, Dichrostachys glomerata and Syzygium aromaticum on production performances of Japanese quails. A total of 144 two weeks old Japanese quails were randomly assigned to 6 treatments with 4 replicates of 6 birds each in a completely randomised design. The treatments consisted of incorporating in 1 kg of basal diet (T0), 1 g of antibiotic Doxycyclin (T0+), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Afrostyrax lepidophyllus (T1), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Tetrapleura tetraptera (T2), 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Syzygium aromaticum (T3) and 4 g (1/1/1/1) blend of all four spices (T4). Throughout the study (35 days), feed intake, live body weight, weight gain significantly (p<0.05) decreased with in-feed blend spices while feed conversion ratio was comparable (p>0.05) in all treatments. Dry matter and organic matter digestibility were comparable (p>0.05) meanwhile crude protein (97.82%) and crude cellulose (87.79%) digestibility were highest (p<0.05) in animals fed on blend D. glomerata - S. aromaticum. Apart for quails fed on synthetic antibiotic treatment, intestine length was lowest (p<0.05) compared to all treatments, carcass characteristics and digestive organ’s mensurations were comparable amongst treatments. Meanwhile, feed intake costs 223.25 and 238.95 Fcfa were respectively lowest (p<0.05) with blend D. glomerata - T. tetraptera and D. glomerata - S. aromaticum. It was concluded that incorporating 4 g (2/2) blend Dichrostachys glomerata - Syzygium aromaticum in quail’s feed improve protein and cellulose digestibility and reduce feed intake cost.

Effects of in-feed blend spices on growth performance, digestibility profile and production cost of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) Keywords:

Antibiotic , Digestibility , Japanese quail , Production cost , Spice