title: Sodium levels for Japanese quail at initial phases.
abstract: The aim of this research was to determine the nutritional requirements of sodium for Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) during the periods of 1 to 21 d and 22 to 40 d of age, as well as to evaluate the residual effect on egg production and densitometry bone traits from 41 to 63 d. Two experiments were developed. Experiment 1: 360 Japanese quail were used, from 1 to 21 d of age. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.06, 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, and 0.30%). Experiment 2: 240 Japanese quail were used, from 22 to 40 d. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.04, 0.12, 0.20, 0.28, and 0.36%). In both experiments, weight gain, final weight, and feed conversion presented a quadratic trend, whereas water intake presented a linear trend. Treatments did not affect the densitometry of bone traits, although they presented a quadratic influence on tibia ash, calcium, and calcium:phosphorus ratio. Therefore, the nutritional requirement of sodium for Japanese quail from 1 to 21 d and from 22 to 40 d is 0.222% and 0.253%, respectively.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Paraiba, Department of Animal Science, Areia, Paraiba, Brazil.
authors.forename: F G P
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Figueiredo-Lima
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Pinheiro
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Goulart
authors.forename: J H V
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Baraldi-Artoni
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Barreiro
authors.forename: P E N
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Givisiez
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D003370:Coturnix / Q000254:growth & development*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary