title: Value added bySpirulina platensisin two different diets on growth performance, gut microbiota, and meat quality of Japanese quails.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The growth promoting effect of the blue-green filamentous algaSpirulina platensis(SP) was observed on meat type Japanese quail with antibiotic growth promoter alternative and immune enhancing power.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on 180 Japanese quail chicks for 4 weeks to find out the effect of diet type (vegetarian protein diet [VPD] and fish meal protein diet [FMPD])- Spirulina dose interaction (1 or 2 g/kg diet) on growth performance, gut microbiota, and sensory meat quality of growing Japanese quails (1-5 weeks old).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data revealed improvement (p<0.05) of weight gain, feed conversion ratio and European efficiency index due to 1, 2 g (SP)/kg VPD, and 2 g (SP)/kg FMPD, respectively. There was a significant decrease of ileum mean pH value by 1 g (SP)/kg VPD. Concerning gut microbiota, there was a trend toward an increase inLactobacillicount in both 1; 2 g (SP)/kg VPD and 2 g (SP)/kg FMPD. It was concluded that 1 or 2 g (SP)/kg vegetarian diet may enhance parameters of performance without obvious effect on both meat quality and gut microbiota. Moreover, 1 and/or 2 g (SP) may not be invited to share fish meal based diet for growing Japanese quails.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using of SP will support the profitable production of Japanese quails fed vegetable protein diet.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epigenetics and Epigenomics, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu, China; Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Yusuf
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Hygiene, Zoonoses and Behavior, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Marwa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hassan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Abdel-Daim
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Adel S El
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Nabtiti
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ali Meawad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Wealth Development, (Biostatistics) Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Sherief A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Moawed
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, 41522 Ismailia, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ahmed Kamel
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: El-Sayed
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epigenetics and Epigenomics, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Hengmi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cui
keywords: isocaloric; isonitrogenous; meat quality; performances; quails; spirulina