Effect of using different levels of Nigella sativa meal on the growth performance and meat quality of Japanese quails

پژوهشهای علوم دامی ایران

Article 12, Volume 6, Issue 1 - Serial Number 17, March 2014   

Document Type: Poultry Nutrition

DOI: 10.22067/ijasr.v6i1.23655

Authors

Tayebeh Mousapour; Mohammad salarmoini^*

Department of Animal Science. College of Agriculture. Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman. Kerman. Iran

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary Nigella sativa meal (NSM) on the growth performance, blood parameters, carcass characteristics, egg yolk cholesterol and meat quality in Japanese quail. For this purpose 300 one-day old Japanese quail chicks in a completely randomized design was used with five treatments in four replicates )containing 15 birds each(. The experimental diets were control group (without NSM) and diets containing 5, 10, 15 and 20% of NSM. Feed intake of birds fed diets with 5 and 15% of NSM were statistically higher than control group. Weight gain in birds fed with 15% of NSM was significantly higher than control group. Feed conversion ratio of birds fed diets with 20% of NSM was statistically higher than control. No significant treatment effect was observed on egg yolk cholesterol, blood parameters (including triglyceride, HDL and total cholesterol concentrations) and meat quality parameters (TBA, WHC, Dripping loss, Cooking loss). And also the use of different levels of NSM had no any significant effect on internal organs weight, except gizzard. NSM significantly decreased feed costs compared to control group. So, by using NSM up to 15% in Japanese quails diets, can improve weight gain and feed conversion ratio and decrease feed and meat production costs.

Keywords

Japanese quail; Growth performance; Nigella sativa meal