Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, P.M.B. 01, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
Edache, J.A., Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, P.M.B. 01, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria; Yisa, A.G., Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, P.M.B. 01, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria; Opkala, E.J., Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, National Veterinary Research Institute, P.M.B. 01, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
A 6-week feeding trail was conducted to determine the effect of varying levels of yam peel meal (CP; 8.07% and ME; 2701 kcal/kg) on the laying performance of Japanese quails. One hundred and fifty 4 - week old female quails divided into 4 groups having 3 replicates of 12 birds each were used in this study. Four isonitrogenous (20% CP) diets incorporating graded levels (0, 10, 20 and 30%) of yam peel meal were compounded. The diets, however, varied in energy levels having 2,626 (Diet A), 2,553 (Diet B), 2,480 Diet C and 2,406 kcalME/kg (Diet D) respectively. Each diet was replicated three times. Average daily feed intake (34.77, 31.13, 31.50 and 33.23 g/bird) and hen-day production (30.06, 22.17, 18.81 and 16.19%) were significantly (p<0.05) affected by the test diets. However, respective daily weight gains (10.23, 8.93, 10.40, 7.83 g/bird), feed conversion ratio (7.96, 7.78, 6.90, 8.07) and egg weights (7.0, 8.8, 8.67 and 7.47 g) were not significantly (p>0.05) affected. As the level of yam peel meal increased in the diet, hen-day egg production was dropping. Feed cost/kg diet (N) decreased from diet A (41.24), B (38.02), C (34.52) to 31.02 (diet D) which had a cost saving of 25% over the control diet. By this study, it is indicated that at dietary crude protein level of 20% and Metabolizable Energy of between 2,480 and 2,626 kcal/kg, 20% level of yam peel meal inclusion in Japanese quail diet is acceptable for satisfactory egg production. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2012.