THE EFFECT OF DURATION OF BOILING AFRICANBREADFRUIT (Treculia africana) SEEDS ON PERFORMANCE AND LAYING CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESE QUAILS

THE EFFECT OF DURATION OF BOILING AFRICANBREADFRUIT (Treculia africana) SEEDS ON PERFORMANCE AND LAYING CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESE QUAILS

Abstract:

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of duration of boiling African breadfruit seeds (ABS) on the growth and laying performance of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). In the first experiment, 540 unsexed two weeks old quail chicks with an average initial weight of 33.33g were raised in cages for 28 days in a completely randomized design. The birds were assigned to six treatments groups (control, raw, 10, 20, 30 and 40 minutes boiled ABS) of 90 quail chicks in each treatment was subdivided into three replicates with 30 birds per pen. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (25% CP) and isocaloric (2859 Kcal/kg ME). Water and feed were offered ad libitum. The result for the growth phase showed that final weight and weight gain of quails fed the control diet was similar to those fed boiled ABS diets, but was significantly (P<0.05) lower than the parboiled group. Quails fed 30 minutes boiled ABS consumed significantly (P<0.05) higher feed compared to those fed the control and other diets. The final weight gain of quails fed parboiled ABS diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than those of the control and boiled ABS diets. The feed conversion ratio result showed that the birds on parboiled groups had the lowest value which was similar to the groups fed 20 and 30 minutes boiled ABS but was significantly (P<0.05) better than quails in other groups. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in the carcass parameters measured except for leg, neck, head and dressed weight which were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the different duration of boiling ABS diets. Also, there were significant (P<0.05) differences in the nutrient digestibility across the treatment groups, 30 minutes boiled ABS diet was significantly (P<0.05) higher than all other dietary groups. The haematological parameters showed that there were significant (P<0.05) differences except in PCV, Hb, WBC, MCV and MCH in all treatment groups. In experiment 2, two hundred and seventy (270) female birds (point of lay) were used to study the effect of duration of boiling ABS based diets on egg production parameters. They were fed six dietary treatments, which were formulated to be isonitrogenous (22% CP) and isocaloric (2722 Kcal/kg ME). The result on egg characteristics showed no significant (P>0.05) differences on egg height across the treatment groups. However, significant (P<0.05) differences were observed in the egg production parameters measured. Hen-day egg production of quails fed 20 minutes boiled ABS diets and parboiled were similar to the control but significantly (P<0.05) higher than all other treatment groups. Peak egg production values showed that the control group was significantly not (P>0.05) different from those fed boiled ABS diets for 20, 30, 40 minutes and parboiled groups but significantly (P<0.05) higher than the 10 minutes boiled ABS group. The inclusion of African breadfruit seed in the diets did not result in any detrimental effect on overall quail performance. Thus, utilization of ABS from parboiled to 20 minutes boiled in quail diets resulted in enhanced growth and egg production performance at the least cost.

THE EFFECT OF DURATION OF BOILING AFRICANBREADFRUIT (Treculia africana) SEEDS ON PERFORMANCE AND LAYING CHARACTERISTICS OF JAPANESE QUAILS

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