Effect of skip-a-day feeding regimes on productive performance and some blood constituents of Japanese quail

Abstract EN

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of skip-a-day (SKD) feeding regimes on productive performance, carcass characteristics, tibia bone measurements, carcass and liver composition, some blood constituents and economic efficiency of Japanese quail.

Quail were subjected to one of the following regimes : the first group (control) were provided feed every day ad libitum to 43 day of age (CAL), the second group were provided feed ad libitum except for 24-hrs removal periods at 12 and 18 days of age (SKD2), the third group were provided feed ad libitum except for 24-hrs removal periods at 12, 18, 24 and 30 days of age (SKD4) and the fourth group were provided feed ad libitum except for 24-hrs removal periods at 12, 18, 24, 30, 36 and 42 days of age (SKD6).

The obtained results indicated that SKD feeding regimes did not affect negatively (p ≤ 0.05) on live body weight and gain at 43 day of age.

While, application of SKD feeding regimes caused a significant (p ≤ 0.05) reduction in feed intake and total mortality rate compared with the CAL group.

However, feed conversion ratio was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved due to feeding treatments.

Furthermore, carcass characteristics had been affected by treatment groups, except for dressing percentage.

Total edible parts were slightly higher for quail subjected to different SKD feeding regimes, while abdominal fat percentage decreased in comparison with the CAL group.

The incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia phenomenon decreased by the progressive of SKD feeding regimes.

Serum lipids fractions and hematological traits were gradually (p ≤ 0.05) increased with increasing length of SKD feeding regimes.

There was evidence of an increased stress response due to feeding strategy as judged by the increase of hetrophils to lymphcytes (H / L) ratio and corticosterone levels.

It was shown that SKD feeding regimes during the growing period may offer an economical advantage over ad libitum feeding regimes.

Based on the former results it was concluded that SKD feeding regimes was an effective method for reducing feed cost without any adverse effect on performance.

Finally it can be recommended that Japanese quail producers may practice 6 day of fasting during the growing period without negative effect on performance.