GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY OF JAPANESE QUAILS (Coturnix coturnix japonica) FED WHEAT BRAN SUPPLEMENTED WITH ENZYME

Résumé

A 28 days study was conducted to evaluate the effect of wheat bran supplementation with maxigrain® enzyme on the performance characteristics and nutrient digestibility of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 120 unsexed two-week-old quail chicks were weighed (43.9±0.02g) and randomly assigned into four treatments of three replicates each and ten birds/replicate. Diets formulated with 0, 10, 20 and 30% wheat bran as replacement for maize were designated as treatment 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Maxigrain® was included at 10g/100kg into treatments 2, 3 and 4 while treatment 1 served as control. Diets were served on an ad-libitum basis and data on feed intake and weight gain were collected/replicate for performance parameters. At the last three days of the feeding trial, excreta were collected daily for nutrient digestibility determination. Data were subjected to ANOVA and means were separated using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Quails fed T4 had a significantly higher (P< 0.05) Final Body Weight (153.4 g/bird) and Daily Weight Gain (3.9 g/bird) and a significantly lower (P< 0.05) feed conversion ratio (4.89) over other treatments. T1 recorded a significantly lower (P< 0.05) digestibilities (%) of Crude Protein-CP (20.6) Crude Fiber-CF (48.78), Dry Matter (93.97) and Nitrogen Free Extract-NFE (61.43) while Quails fed T2, T3 and T4 were similar in CP and NFE. The % CF favoured birds fed T3 (55.18) and T4 (55.76). The study concluded that 30% wheat bran with Maxigrain® as replacement for maize could improve performance and nutrient digestibility of growing Japanese quail.