Impact of Organic Zinc and Vitamin-E Supplementation on Production Performance, Egg Quality and Hatching Traits of Japanese Quail

Abstract

The objective of current study was to investigate the effects of Zn (organic and inorganic) and Vitamin-E on egg production, quality and hatchability of Japanese quails. The experiment carried out for a period of 12 weeks, total of 640 7 weeks old quails were randomly assigned to eight (80 quails in each) different dietary treatments A (control), B, C, D, E, F, G and H under completely randomized design (CRD). Each treatment group was further replicated into four sub units with twenty quails in each (comprising five male and fifteen female). The results revealed that adding Zinc+Vit-E to diets caused a significant effect (P<0.05) on weekly egg production, while the difference in egg production due to interactive effect of weeks × treatments was insignificant (P>0.05). Average weekly egg production was significantly greater (P<0.05) in group H (82.45/bird), followed by group F (78.27), G (77.93) and E (77.50/bird). Relatively lower egg production of 77.22, 76.97, 76.41and 74.14/bird was recorded in groups D, C and A respectively. Whereas, diets had insignificant effect (P>0.05) on egg exterior quality including (weight, length, width and shape index) as well as interior quality (albumen height, width, yolk weight, height, and width). However, the dietary Zn and Vit-E had a significant effect on egg hatchability percentage (P<0.05). The higher hatchability percentage was observed in group H (75.66 %) followed by F, E and G (72.33, 70.0 and 67.25 percent) respectively. While, the lower hatchability % was in group B (62.75), C (62.0), D (56.17) and control A (50.42%). Supplementary dietary treatments showed significant effects (P<0.05) on dead germs. Results indicates that dead embryos were least (5.00) in group H, followed by groups F , E and G as 6.41, 7.50 and 7.75 dead germs, respectively were examined. Similar pattern was also observed for dead chicks in eggs shell affected by feeding dietary treatments. Significantly the highest hatched chick weight (9.21 g) was obtained in group H than in groups F, E and G, where recorded 9.16, 9.03 and 9.02 g respectively. The average chick weight declined to 8.97, 8.96 and 8.92 g in groups B, C and D respectively; while the least average chick weight (8.92 g) was recorded in control (A). The current finding revealed that supplementation of Zn (organic and inorganic) and Vitamin E had significant effect on Japanese quail egg production, quality and hatchability reread under different dietary treatments.