MVSc

An experiment was carried out at the Department of Poultry Science, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Agricultural University, Mannuthy, to study the effect of dietary inclusion of dried Azolla on growth of Japanese quails. The economics of feeding Azolla to quails up to six weeks of age was evaluated.
One hundred and ninety two (192), day old Japanese quail chicks weighed individually, distributed randomly to four dietary groups each with four replicates of twelve quails. A control ration with 26 per cent crude protein and 2700 kcal ME per kg was formulated. Dried Azolla was included in the basal diet at levels of 0, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 per cent to form the dietary groupsT1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively and all the rations were made isocaloric and isonitrogenous.
The quails were housed replicate wise in separate cages with dimension of 76 x 63 x 26 cm. Standard management conditions were maintained uniformly through out the experiment from 0 to 6 weeks of age. The body weight weight gains, feed consumption and FCR were recorded weekly and cumulative basis. The mortality was recorded at occurrence and per cent livability was worked out in each group.
At the end of sixth week of age, two quails from each replicate were sacrificed to study the carcass yields and losses. The meat from breast and thigh were collected from each carcass and the total cholesterol was estimated. Blood samples were collected at the time of slaughter and total cholesterol, creatinine, total protein and uric acid in serum were estimated. Economics over feed cost was calculated based on the prevailing cost of feed ingredients. The sale price of quails based on live weight and R to C yield were used to evaluate the economics of incorporation of Azolla in quail diets. The salient results obtained in the study are presented below.
The mean BW of quails was162.40, 159.47, 155.61 and 151.73 g at fifth week and that at sixth week of age was177.16, 175.42, 169.81 and 164.07 g in groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The BW of quails fed 5.0 and 7.5 per cent of Azolla was significantly lower than that of control group (P≤0.05) at both these ages. The cumulative feed intake per quail in groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 from 0 to 5 weeks (551.81, 552.44, 559.44 and 560.21 g) and 0 to 6 weeks (745.33, 742.55, 743.13 and 750.87 g) was comparable among each other. The cumulative body weight gain at both 5th and 6th week was significantly lower with quails fed 7.5 per cent Azolla than that of control group (P≤0.05). At these ages the cumulative FCR observed in this group was significantly higher compared with all other groups. The giblet yield of 4.81 per cent in quails fed 2.5 per cent Azolla was significantly higher than that of control group (4.08 per cent). The R-to-C yield (76.78 per cent) and the gizzard per cent (1.90) recorded in quails fed 5.0 per cent Azolla was significantly higher than that of control group. The R-to-C yield of 75.45, in quails fed 2.5 Azolla was numerically higher than the control fed group(71.14per cent).
The serum cholesterol was significantly lower with 5.0 and 7.5 per cent levels of Azolla than that of control group. The total protein, creatinine and uric acid in serum and cholesterol content both in breast and thigh meat were not affected by inclusion of Azolla in quail diet. The margin of return over feed cost plus chick cost per quail was Rs.5.11, 4.85, 4.44 and 4.08 at five week followed by 4.45, 4.35, 3.85 and 3.25 at six week in groups T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively with low economic return.
Based on the above findings, it was concluded that the sixth week body weight, the cumulative feed intake, FCR and R-to-C yield in quails fed 2.5 per cent Azolla was comparable with that of control group. These results clearly indicated that the incorporation of the dried Azolla at 2.5 per cent level can be recommended for feeding Japanese quails. It is also recommended to market quails for meat purpose at fifth week itself instead of sixth week of age, since the weight gain and FCR were found to be deteriorating markedly at sixth week compared to fifth week.