Effect of methionine levels on performance and blood parameters in Japanese quail

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of different levels of dietary methionine on performance, blood parameters and reproductive traits of laying Japanese quail for 9 weeks(8-16 week of age). A total of 140 female Japanese quails were distributed in completely randomized experimental design with five treatments (56 days of age) with 4 replicates(7 birds in each replicate). Treatments including: 0.35, 0.40, 0.45, 0.50 and 0.55 % of methionine concentration in the diet. The results of study demonstrated that in first period (8-12 week), second period(13-16 week) and the whole period(8-16 week), methionine levels had a significant effect(P>0/05 (on egg production and egg mass(gr/bird/day) which the highest egg production and egg mass were related to birds fed on diets containing 0.45%, 0.50 % methionine, respectively. The comparison of treatments demonstrated that with increasing the methionine concentration, albumin and uric acid level were decreasing. The results of this study shows that the highest production performance and reproduction indicators in the first period (8-12 week), second period (13-16 week) are related to 0.45%, 0.50 and 0.55 % of methionine in diets and therefore these levels can be considered as requirements of layer Japanese quail in laying phase.