Effects of Replacing Maize with Yam Peel Meal on Short Term Laying Performance of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract

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.