Effect of fennel seeds on laying performance and egg quality traits in Japanese quails

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of fennel seeds on laying performance and some physical and quality properties of eggs in Japanese quails. One hundred and twelve 42-day old Japanese quails (Coturnix Coturnix japonica) were randomly assigned into 4 treatments with 4 replicates and 7 birds per each replication. A corn-soybean basal diet was supplemented with four levels of fennel seeds (0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 %) to reach the dietary treatments. Eggs were collected daily, and the eggs laid during the last 2 d of every week were weighed. The eggs laid during the last 3 d of week 9 were collected and were used for physical and quality properties assays. Egg weight, egg production percentage, egg mass and feed conversion ratio were significantly affected by the levels of fennel seed (P<0.05). The egg weight, egg production percentage, egg mass and feed conversion ratio in the birds fed diet with the highest level of fennel seeds (1.2 %) were more than those of the control group. Also length, width, surface, volume, geometric mean diameter, Haugh unit (HU) and eggshell thickness significantly increased by increasing the dietary levels of the fennel seeds (P<0.05). The results of this experiment showed that using 1.2 percent of dietary fennel can positively affect laying performance and egg quality in Japanese quails.