Effect of dietary methionine restriction on performance of Japanese Quail

In the present study the effects of dietary methionine restriction on body weight and femur, tibia and humorous growth were evaluated using 200 pieces of Japanese quail. Birds were fed by two diets including with methionine and without methionine supplement for 42 days. Individual body weights were measured at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 days of age. In addition the bone characteristics were measured at 24 and 35 days of age. The results suggest that dietary methionine restriction caused significant decreases in body weight up to 35 days of age (P<0.05). In comparison with later ages, the body weight was decreased more at early ages. The bone growth was not affected by the dietary methionine restriction. The results also show that the body weight were not significantly different between males and females until 35 days of age. The Importance of methionine supplement for the growth traits measured at the different ages was not the same where the body weight was not affected significantly after five weeks of age.