Abstract
Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of dietary earthworm (Eisenia fetida) meal (EW), associated with vermi-humus (VH), on the performance, egg characteristics, immunity, and blood constituents of laying quails. A total of 336 female quails (42.5±1.5 g), with 30 days of age, was distributed in 7 treatments and 4 replicates of 12 birds during 42 days. The following treatments were evaluated: control diet without the inclusion of VH and EW; diet with the inclusion of only 0.8% VH; and diets with 0.8% VH supplemented with different EW levels (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5%). A greater body weight, weight gain, and feed intake were obtained with 1.5% EW; a higher egg productivity, with 0.5–1.0% EW; and a higher egg mass, with 0.5% EW. The inclusion of 2.5% EW reduced eggshell weight and thickness. Levels of 1.0–2.0% EW decreased malondialdehyde in the eggs, whereas 2.0% EW reduced cholesterol content. Higher blood cell volume and antibody titer were obtained with 1.0% EW, whereas higher total protein, globulin, and calcium were obtained with 0.5% EW. Levels of 1.0–1.5% EW + 0.8% VH improve egg production and characteristics, as well as the humoral response of quails, whose performance is not affected.
Highlights
The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of dietary earthworm (Eisenia fetida) meal (EW), associated with vermi-humus (VH), on the performance, egg characteristics, immunity, and blood constituents of laying quails
A greater body weight, weight gain, and feed intake were obtained with 1.5% EW; a higher egg productivity, with 0.5–1.0% EW; and a higher egg mass, with 0.5% EW
Higher blood cell volume and antibody titer were obtained with 1.0% EW, whereas higher total protein, globulin, and calcium were obtained with 0.5% EW
Summary
One of the greatest challenges in animal production is to adapt diets to ensure maximum productivity with the lowest feed cost. In this sense, the inclusion of alternative foods that can replace corn and soybean meal are important. A potential alternative feedstuff is earthworm meal (EW) (Bahadori et al, 2017), whose greatest advantage is its efficiency in reproducing annelids in organic waste (Edwards, 1985), as well as its ease of being processed and stored (Rodriguez-Campos et al, 2014). According to Bahadori et al (2017), EW contains 91% DM, 66% CP in DM, 3,248 kcal kg-1 metabolizable energy, 7.0% fat, a calcium:phosphorus ratio of 0.37, 2.15% methionine + cystine, and 4.4% lysine. Other authors found positive effects when combining EW with vermi-humus (VH) (Bahadori et al, 2017; Hesami et al, 2020)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
