title: Effect of alfalfa meal in diets of laying quails on performance, egg quality and some serum parameters.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of increasing levels of alfalfa meal in the diet of laying quails on egg production, feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg quality, egg yolk cholesterol and selected serum parameters. In this study, 192, 10-week old quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were evenly distributed to four groups with four replicates of 12 quails each. The control group was fed a basal diet containing 0% alfalfa meal and the remaining groups received 3, 6 or 9% alfalfa meal for 12 weeks. Live weight, feed consumption, and egg production were recorded and feed efficiency were calculated. Eggs were examined for interior and exterior quality and egg yolk cholesterol content. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected and sera were analysed for serum Ca, inorganic P (P(i)), Mg, triglycerides and total cholesterol. Any level of alfalfa meal had no effect on live weight, egg production, feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg weight, and egg yolk index. Six percent and 9% alfalfa meal increased specific gravity of whole egg and eggshell thickness as well as serum P(i) levels. Nine percent alfalfa meal reduced serum triglycerides, total cholesterol levels and egg yolk cholesterol content. The results of this experiment indicated that addition of 9% alfalfa meal into the laying quail diet may improve eggshell quality and reduced serum triglycerides and serum and egg yolk cholesterol without any adverse effect on performance.
authors.affiliation: University of Erciyes, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Diseases, Kayseri, Turkey. berrinkg@hotmail.com
authors.forename: B Kocaoğlu
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Güçlu
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Işcan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Uyanik
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: A Can
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Ağca
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D003370:Coturnix / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004528:Egg Shell / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000737:chemistry*; D004531:Eggs / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D000455:Medicago sativa; D011897:Random Allocation; D013046:Specific Gravity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol