Palm Kernel Meal and Brewer's Dried Grain Improve Laying Performance of Japanese Quails (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) without Affecting Egg Quality Characteristics

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the laying performance and egg quality characteristics of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed palm kernel meal (PKM) and brewers dried grain (BDG) based diets. Five diets were formulated with diet 1 (control) containing 0%PKM and 0%BDG. PKM and BDG were included at two levels each in diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively (15%PKM, 30%PKM, 15%BDG and 30%BDG). A total of 150 Japanese quail (point of lay) of six-weeks old were allotted to five dietary treatment groups of 30 quail birds each with three replicates of 10 birds per pen in a completely randomized design. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (22%CP). The birds were raised in cages for sixteen weeks. Water and feed were offered ad libitum. The result of the experiment showed that there were significant (P 0.05) differences in daily weight gain, egg production and egg weight across the treatment groups. Peak egg production was significantly (P 0.05) difference across the treatments when compared with the control. Thus, utilization of BDG and PKM in quail’s diet at 30% inclusion level during the egg laying phase resulted in enhanced growth and egg production performance at the least cost.