Effect of phosphorus depletion on functional traits and protein digestibility of Japanese quail fed wheat-based diets supplemented with phytase and xylanase

This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of reduced phosphorus levels on performance, production efficiency index and protein digestibility of Japanese quail fed wheat-based diets supplemented with phytase and xylanase. For this purpose, 704 fourteen-day-old female Japanese quail were randomly divided into eight treatments with four replicates and each replicate containing 22 chicks. Experimental treatments were performed by diets containing two levels of phosphorus (0.30% and 0.14%), two levels of phytase (0 and 0.01%), and two levels of xylanase (0 and 0.05%) in completely randomized design with the factorial arrangement (2×2×2). The results showed that in the whole period of experiment, birds fed diets of 0.3% phosphorus, 0.01 phytase and 0.05 xylanase had a greater weight gain and feed intake (P≤0.05). The treatment had no effect on feed conversion ratio, mortality rate and production index. Birds fed diets containing 0.30% phosphorus with xylanase compare to phytase had highest digestibility of protein (P≤0.05). Finally, it can be concluded that the simultaneous use of phytase and xylanase enzymes in wheat-based diets containing phosphorus at the required level (0.30%) can have favorable effects on the performance, including feed intake, weight gain and protein digestibility in Japanese quails.