Digestible lysine levels in diets for laying Japanese quails

Abstract

-The objective of this study was to estimate the digestible lysine requirement of Japanese quails in the egg-laying phase. A total of 336 female Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) of average initial age of 207 days were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design, composed of 6 treatments (lysine levels) with 7 replicates and 8 birds per experimental unit, with duration of 84 days. Experimental diets were formulated from a basal diet, with corn and soybean meal, with 2.800 kcal ME/kg and 203.70 g/kg crude protein, showing levels of 9.50; 10.00; 10.50; 11.00; 11.50; and 12.00 g/kg digestible lysine; diets remained isoprotein and isocaloric. The following variables were studied: feed intake (FI); lysine intake (LI); egg production per bird per day (EPBD); egg production per bird housed (EPBH); production of marketable eggs (PME); egg weight (EW); egg mass (EM); utilization efficiency of lysine for egg mass production (UELEM); feed conversion per mass (FCEM); feed conversion per dozen eggs (FCDZ); bird availability (BA); percentages of yolk (Y), albumen (A) and shell (S); specific egg weight (SW); nitrogen ingested (NI); nitrogen excreted (NE); and nitrogen balance (NB). Significant effect was only observed for LI, EW, EM, UELEM, FCEM, Y, A and SW. The digestible lysine level estimated in diets for laying Japanese quails is 11.20 g digestible lysine/kg diet, corresponding to an average daily intake of 272.23 mg lysine.

Digestible lysine requirement for European laying quail

“…The same behavior was observed for the intake of lysine per bird (p < 0.05), indicating an increase of 10.256 grams of lysine per bird for each 0.1% increase in the lysine level, as determined by equation with R 2 = 99.81%, SSR=1.8 and AIC=13.08. Similar results were reported by Ton et al (2011), Ribeiro et al (2013), Nery et al (2015) and Lima et al (2016), who found, for Japanese quail, a linear behavior with precision of 99%, 100%, 98% and 98%, respectively.…”

“…Ton et al (2011) verified linear behavior with 93% of precision power for feed conversion in European quail. Barreto et al (2006) and Della-Flora et al (2012) found, in European quails, that there was no difference in feed conversion per mass in relation to the different levels of digestible lysine, and the same was found by Costa et al (2008), Ribeiro et al (2013) and Nery et al (2015) for Japanese quails.…”

“…Nevertheless, when working with Japanese quails, Lima et al (2016) verified, through the linear model with a precision of 99%, that at each increment of 0.1% of lysine there was an increase of 13.5 g in feed conversion per dozen. Ribeiro et al (2013) verified a quadratic effect with explanatory power of 91%, for an optimal lysine level of 1.121%, which reflected in a feed conversion per dozen of 9.16g.…”

“…For Japanese quails, Costa et al (2008) verified, through a linear model with precision of 60%, that with each increase of 0.1% of lysine, an increase of 0.5g in the feed intake occurred. Ribeiro et al (2013), Nery et al (2015) and Lima et al (2016) did not verify relationship between feed intake and digestible levels of lysine for Japanese quail. Table 2.…”

Effect of chamomile extract on the welfare of laying Japanese quail

“…In our other study, investigating the optimal amino acid supplementation for Japanese quail, a three-week period was necessary for adaption (unpublished). Furthermore, in other Japanese quail studies, the data collection has spanned long periods ranging from 84 to 140 days , Ribeiro et al, 2013. Therefore, the greater expression of the AP and NAP behaviors at day 14 of the experiment is most likely the result of the adaptation period of these birds…”