Performance of quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed graded levels of sun-dried Mango (Mangifera indica) kernel meal as replacement for maize.
Abang F. B. P., Abeke M., Shittu H.
Author Affiliation: Department of Animal production, College of Animal science, University of Agriculture Makurdi, Makurdi, Nigeria.
International Journal of Agriculture and Biosciences 4 : 5-7
Abstract : One hundred and forty four two weeks' old unsexed Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of about the same weight were randomly assigned to three (3) dietary treatments with 48 quails per treatments. Each treatment was replicated thrice with 16 quails per replicate. The three diets had 0% (control), 25% and 50% (I-III respectively) Sun-dried Mango (Mangifera indica) kernel meal as a replacement for maize. Quails were fed the experimental diets over a period of nine (9) weeks. Feed intake was measured daily and the quails body weight were measured on weekly intervals. It was observed that quails fed control diet had similar result with those fed 25% replacement levels of SMKM in terms of weekly feed intake, body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and feed efficiency. However, quails fed 50% replacement levels of SMKM performed significantly (P0.05) poorer than quails fed control diet in all the aforementioned parameters. The findings suggested that SMKM could replace maize up to 25% level in growing Japanese quails' diet without deleterious effect on growth indices.