Effect of Dietary Protein Level During Grower and Layer Periods on the Performance and Egg Quality of Japanese Quail

This experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effect of dietary protein level during grower (1 to 35 days) and laying (35 to 77 days) periods on the performance and egg quality in Japanese quail. A number of 360 Japanese quails were divided to 4 groups and fed diets varying in dietary protein (20, 22, 24 and 26% CP) from 1 to 35 days of age. After 35 days, each of the groups were divided to 3 sub groups and fed with diets containing 18, 20 and 22% CP up to 77 days of age. Results of experiment indicated that quails were fed diet containing 24% CP had lowest feed conversion ratio that it differences was significant with those were fed 22% CP (P<0.05). Quails were fed diet containing 22% CP during laying period had significantly higher egg weight than those groups were fed diets containing 20 and 18% CP (P<0.05). Results related to egg quality indicated yolk color in quails fed 18% CP during laying period was significantly higher than groups fed with 20 and 22% CP (P <0.05).