The effect of different levels of dietary protein on productive performance and some blood parameters in Japanese quail

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different levels of dietary protein on production and some blood parameters in Japanese quail. This experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 4 replicates and 16 adult Japanese quail in each replicate for 42 days. Treatments consisted of 5 dietary protein levels include the 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 percent, which were set in the basal diet of corn and soybeans meal. After 2 weeks of the experimental diets consumption, egg production rate, egg weight, feed intake and feed conversion ratio were measured and recorded weekly for 6 weeks. Every 2 weeks, 5 eggs were randomly selected from each replicate, and quality characteristics of eggs were evaluated. At the end of experiment, 2 birds from each replicate were selected randomly and blood collection was done for evaluation the blood parameters. The results showed that dietary protein levels had a significant effect on some productive and blood characteristics of Japanese quails including shell strength, albumen weight, albumen diameter, yolk weight, yolk height, as well as blood values of triglycerides and LDL (P<0.05). The highest positive impact of dietary protein levels on egg shell strength, albumin weight and albumin diameter was observed in 22% of dietary protein (P<0.05). The most egg yolk weight and yolk height were recorded in 24% of dietary protein. In conclusion, the use of 22 and 24% of protein in Japanese quail diet, is advisable because of higher productive performance.