Investigation of Opportunities the Addition of Canned Watermelon Purea and Watermelon Juice Produced From Unmarketable Watermelon in Broiler Quail Ration

Abstract

This research was conducted for evaluation of effects of watermelon puree and watermelon juice obtained from unmarkettable watermelon on fattening performance of quails. In the experimantal part, quail diets were prepared according to NRC standards. Experimental groups were established by adding (dry matter based) of 5% canned watermelon puree and watermelon juice into daily diet. The rations in the groups are divided as isoergenic and isonitrogenic. The experiment consisted of feding 90 male Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) divided into three main and five subgroupsand. While the live weights of the quails were similar to other groups in the start of the experiment, in the end of the study reached the highest value in the Group-P with 189 grams of live weight. Daily body weight gain of the quails was found as 3.68 g in Group-P, 3.44 g in Group-J and 3.43 g in Group-C. Feed consumption was determined as 7.79 g in Group-P, 8.97 g in Group-J and 10.42 g in Group-C. Nutrient digestibility and mortality rates almost remained similar. In this research is that in the Group-P, feed consumption decreased and daily live weight gain was found close to Group-J and Group-C. This results show that the Group-P had better feed efficiency than than the other groups. This is shows that watermelon juice and puree can be used in poultry rations instead of corn and soybean meal in terms of digestibility.