No abstract

The effect of pre-treating Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) with different levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on the growth performance, serum biochemistry, hematology, and meat quality parameters of Jumbo quail was evaluated. Two-week-old quail chicks (n = 432; 239.6 ± 6.48 g live-weight) were randomly allocated to six diets formulated by incorporating (10% w/w) untreated MOLP (PEG0) or MOLP pre-treated with PEG at 2.5% (PEG25), 5% (PEG50), 7.5% (PEG75), and 10% (PEG100) (w/w) into a standard grower diet (CON). Overall feed intake linearly increased with PEG levels. At week 4, significant quadratic trends were recorded for weight gain and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) but, at week 5, FCE linearly declined as PEG levels increased. Hemoglobin, phosphorus, and albumin showed quadratic trends, while calcium and chroma (1 h post-mortem) linearly declined in response to PEG levels. Diet PEG50 promoted a higher shear force value (2.41) than diets PEG0 and PEG25. The PEG50 diet promoted a similar (p > 0.05) shear force as diet CON. Based on the quadratic response for weight gain, the optimal PEG pre-treatment level was calculated to be 5.9%. It was concluded that MOLP condensed tannins negatively affect growth performance and should be ameliorated to enhance the utility of this nutraceutical source for Jumbo quail.

High fiber levels (165 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF)/kg DM) in Moringa oleifera leaf powder (MOLP) could limit its utilization as a nutraceutical source in Jumbo quail diets. Pre-treating MOLP with exogenous fibrolytic multi-enzymes could reduce the nutrient-encapsulating effect of non-starch polysaccharides and subsequently increase nutrient and bioactive compound utilization. Thus, this study investigated the effect of pre-treating dietary MOLP with an exogenous fibrolytic enzyme mixture on some physiological parameters and meat quality characteristics in Jumbo quail. A total of 396 Jumbo quail were randomly distributed to 6 experimental diets, with 6 replicate pens each and 11 birds per replicate. The experimental diets were: CON = a standard grower diet (156.5 g NDF /kg) without MOLP; ENZ0 = CON + 10% MOLP; and CON + MOLP pre-treated with 0.25% (ENZ25), 0.50% (ENZ50), 0.75% (ENZ75) and 1% (ENZ100) fibrolytic enzymes. There were no significant linear or quadratic effects on growth performance parameters and carcass characteristics in response to incremental levels of fibrolytic enzymes. However, neutrophils linearly increased, while breast meat lightness and 24 h hue angle linearly declined with enzyme levels. Quadratic effects were observed on gizzard weights and 1 h hue angle in response to enzyme levels. All the hemato-biochemical values fell within the normal ranges for healthy quail. It was concluded that the maximum fibrolytic multi-enzyme application rate of 1% may not have been adequate to enhance feed utilization and positively affect weight gain in Jumbo quail, thus higher levels may need to be investigated further.

The utility of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MOLM) as a source of biologically active substances and nutrients for Jumbo quail is limited by high concentrations of condensed tannins and fiber. Simultaneous application of polyethylene glycol (PEG), a tannin-binding compound, and exogenous fibrolytic multi-enzymes could ameliorate antinutritional effects of condensed tannins and fiber thus improving MOLM utilization in quail diets. This study investigated the effect of pre-treating dietary MOLM with PEG and fibrolytic enzymes on live performance, blood parameters, visceral organs, and carcass and meat quality characteristics in Jumbo quail. A total of 381, two-week-old quail chicks (57.5 ± 3.95 g live-weight) were randomly distributed to six dietary treatments replicated six times. The treatments were: T1 = a standard grower diet containing untreated MOLM (10%); T2 = a standard grower diet containing MOLM (10%) pre-treated with 5.4% PEG; and a standard grower diet containing MOLM (10%) pre-treated with 5.4% PEG and 1.25% (T3), 1.50% (T4), 1.75% (T5) and 2.0% (T6) fibrolytic multi-enzymes. Graded levels of enzymes did not induce linear or quadratic effects for overall feed intake, feed conversion efficiency, hematological, carcass, and meat quality parameters in response to increasing fibrolytic enzyme levels. However, weight gain in week 3 quadratically responded [R2 = 0.117, P = 0.043]. Three-week old birds reared on T3 had lower (p < 0.05) weight gains (40.9 g/bird) than those reared on the other treatment groups. Birds reared on T6 diet had longer caecum (14.1 cm) than those reared on T2, T3, T4 and T5 whose caeca lengths did not differ (P > 0.05). Birds reared on diet T5 had shorter small intestines (59.5 cm) than those reared on T1 and T2 diets. It can be concluded that simultaneous pre-treatment of dietary MOLM with PEG and fibrolytic enzymes did not improve live performance, blood parameters, and carcass and meat quality traits, but affected some visceral organ sizes in Jumbo quail.