Abstract
A total number of 360 laying Japanese quail (8 weeks of age) were randomly divided into 12 groups. Birds in all groups had nearly the same average initial body weight. A factorial arrangement (4 × 3) was performed including four levels of dietary cadmium (Cd) as cadmium chloride (0, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg diet) and three levels of feed additives (without, 300 mg/kg ascorbic acid and 1.50% natural clay). Results revealed that Cd contaminated feed caused significant (p < 0.01) retardation in body weight, lower egg number and egg mass and worse feed conversion. On the other hand, the addition of ascorbic acid or natural clay to quail diets caused a significant (p < 0.01) improvement in all studied traits. With respect to the interaction among Cd and the experimental additives, results showed that within each Cd level, ascorbic acid or clay supplementation recorded the highest body weight, egg number, egg weight and mass in addition to improved feed conversion. Cadmium levels decreased (p < 0.05) blood total protein, albumen and A/G ratio. Both 300 mg ascorbic acid and 1.50% clay increased (p < 0.05) blood total protein and albumen compared to non-supplemented groups. It could be concluded that the consumption of polluted diets Cd causes deleterious effects on the productive performance of laying Japanese quail. The addition of ascorbic acid or natural clay to the diets causes beneficial effects on productive performance traits, improves egg quality criteria and diminishes the toxic effects of Cd.
Highlights
For commercial use, domestic quails are available in both laying and meat strains [1,2,3].The reproductive performance of Japanese quail is important in the overall management of the flock [4]
The present study aimed to investigate the role of ascorbic acid or natural clay on laying performance, some blood biochemical components and Cd residues in egg components of Japanese quail layers fed diets polluted by Cd at various levels
Each group was subdivided into three kinds of feed additives to study the effect of cadmium, feed additives and their interactions on the productive performance, egg quality and cadmium residues in eggs of laying Japanese quails
Summary
Domestic quails are available in both laying and meat strains [1,2,3].The reproductive performance of Japanese quail is important in the overall management of the flock [4]. The contamination of the diets and the environment with heavy metals remains a big problem. It affects food safety and subsequently affects the consumers. The contamination of poultry rations with heavy metals causes a high reduction in feed efficiency and egg production, which result in a great economic loss for poultry farmers. Great efforts are being made to protect the human food-chain from the entry of cadmium. Cd toxicity induced altered energy, altered behavioral responses, metabolism, kidney damage, anemia, adrenal hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction [7]. Saleemi et al [9] concluded that Cd leads to hepatotoxic and gonadotoxic effects in the quails with dose of 150 and 300 mg/kg feed. It may decline blood concentrations of total protein and total albumen, A/G ratio and increase the activity of liver enzymes and levels of blood uric acid, urea, and alkaline phosphatase [8,9]
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