Performance and egg quality parameters of Japanese quail fed kenaf ( L.) seed meal based diets subjected to varying cooking periods coturnix coturnix japonica

Abstract

A sixteen weeks feeding trialwas conducted to evaluate the effect of different cooking periods of Kenafseed (Hibiscus cannabinusL.) meal on the performance and egg quality parameters of Japanese quailusing 150 seven weeks old growing quail. The birds were randomly divided into five dietary treatment of 30 birds per treatment (i.e.10 birds per replicate). They were fed five experimental diets containing 0% and 10% of the variously processed kenaf seed meal (control, raw kenaf seed meal, 15 minutes cooking period, 20 minutes cooking period and 25 minutes cooking period) designated as T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 respectively. Data were collected on feed intake, daily egg production, external and internal egg quality parameters. Initial body weight, final body weight, average feed consumed per bird, feed conversion ratio, egg weight, shell weight, percentage shell thickness, shell surface area, yolk weight, yolk index, albumen weight, albumen percentage and Haugh unit were not significantly(P>0.05) different. However, significant (P<0.05) differences were observed for weight gain (0.53 – 0.55 kg), hen day production (47.29 – 53.24 %), shell thickness (0.64 0.79mm) and yolk percentage (1.373.25%). It was concluded that kenaf seeds when cooked for 15 minutes can be used at 10% level of inclusion in the diets of laying Japanese quails.