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Effect of dietary levels of calcium and vitamin D3 and their interactions on the performance of Japanese quail chicks
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Abstract: : A total number of 450 unsexed day-old Japanese quail chicks were used to study the effect of different dietary levels of Ca , vit.D3 and their relationship on the performance of Japanese quail chicks. Chicks were randomly distributed into 6 equal groups of 3 replicates each. Three levels of calcium (0.8, 1.0 &1.2 %) and 2 levels of vit.D3 (1100 control & 2200 1U) were added to 6 starter-grower corn-soybean meal experimental diets that formulated to be of iso-nutritive value (24 % CP & 2900 keal ME/kg). Three levels of calcium (2.5, 3.0 &3.5 %) and 2 levels of vit.D3 (1100 control & 2200 1U) were also added to 6 layer corn-soybean meal experimental diets that formulated to be similar in their protein and energy content (20 % CP & 2900 keal ME/kg).
At 42 days of the age, 6 birds from each treatment were slaughtered to determine carcass traits, edible parts, immunological and reproductive organs and tibia bone measurements and analysis. Six blood samples were taken from each group and assayed to determine some serum biochemical parameters. Digestibility trials (3 cocks for each dietary treatment) were conducted to determine nutrients digestibility for different starter-grower experimental diets. At the laying period, egg weight (EW) , mass (EM) and production (EP), feed intake (FI) and conversion (FC) and hatching parameters were recorded. Ten eggs were randomly taken from each treatment every 4 weeks and broken out to determine some egg characteristics. .
Regarding growing performance, the main results obtained illustrated that feeding diet containing 1.0 % Ca + 1100 or 2200 IU Vit.D3 gave significant improvement in BW, BWG and FC as compared to the other dietary treatments. It also caused significant increase in carcass, dressing, edible giblets (liver, heart and gizzard), thymus, bursa, spleen, oviduct and ovary and significant decrease in abdominal fat % as compared to the other
dietary treatments. It also caused significant increase in the CP and CF digestibility as compared to other dietary treatments. Feeding diet containing Ca at the three mentioned levels + the high level of Vit.D3 gave significant increase in serum Ca and P levels. Feeding diet containing 1.2 % Ca + Vit.D3 levels gave significant increase in serum creatinine level.
Concerning laying performance, the main results obtained illustrated that feeding diet containing 3.0 % Ca + 1100 or 2200 IU Vit.D3 gave significant improvement in egg production ( EP, egg number (EN), egg weight (EW), egg mass (EM) and feed conversion (FC) as compared to the other dietary treatments. It also caused significant increase in hatchability %, hatch weight and significant decrease in rickets % as compared to the other dietary treatments. It also caused significant increase in the egg shape index (ES1) %, shell weight (SW) %, shell thickness (ST) and shell Ca and P % as compared to the other dietary treatments.
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| Publication year |
2006
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| Pages |
967-989
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| Availability location |
معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى-شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة
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| Availability number |
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| Organization Name |
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| City |
الاسكندرية
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| serial title |
Egyptian Poultry Science Journal
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| ISSN |
1110-5623
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| Author(s) from ARC |
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| Agris Categories |
Animal feeding
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AGROVOC
TERMS |
Blood composition.
Calcium.
Carcass composition.
Egg production.
Feed conversion efficiency.
Feed intake.
Immunology.
Limb bones.
Quails.
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| Proposed Agrovoc |
vitamin D3;edible parts;reproductive organs;egg weight;egg mass;
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| Publication Type |
Journal
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