Effects of dietary supplementation of arginine and lysine on performance and egg quality characteristics of laying quails

Abstract

Summary:The aim of the present research was to determine the effects of arginine and lysine supplementation in laying quail diets on performance and egg quality characteristics. A total of 420 Japanese quails (280 females and 140 males; Coturnix coturnix japonica) aged 10 weeks old were divided into seven equal groups, each consisting of 60 quails. The control group was fed a basal diet without the addition of arginine or lysine (with an arginine:lysine ratio at the required level). Experimental groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with: 0.1% arginine; 0.2% arginine; 0.1% lysine; 0.2% lysine; 0.1% arginine + 0.1% lysine; or 0.2% arginine + 0.2% lysine. Feed intake decreased in the 0.1% lysine, 0.2% lysine, and 0.1% arginine + 0.1% lysine groups compared with the control and arginine groups (P<0.01). At the end of the experiment, body weight increased for females in all experimental groups (P<0.05); eggshell thickness decreased in the 0.2% arginine group (P<0.01); and the albumen index increased in the 0.2% arginine + 0.2% lysine group compared with the 0.1% arginine, 0.2% lysine, and 0.1% arginine + 0.1% lysine groups (P<0.05). There were no differences between the experimental groups in terms of egg production, egg weight, feed conversion ratio, shape index, Haugh unit, yolk index, albumen index and yolk color index. In conclusion, lysine supplementation in the quail diets did not appear to have any significant negative effect; excessive arginine supplementation might impair the quality of the eggshell; and combined arginine and lysine supplementation did not improve performance.Key words: Arginine, egg quality characteristics, laying quails, lysine, performance. Yumurtacı bıldırcın rasyonlarına arjinin ve lizin ilavesinin performans ve yumurta kalite özellikleri üzerine etkisiÖzet: Bu araştırma yumurtacı bıldırcın rasyonlarına arjinin ve lizin ilavesinin performans ve bazı yumurta kalite özellikleri üzerine etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yapıldı. Araştırmada toplam 420 adet (280 dişi ve 140 erkek) 10 haftalık Japon bıldırcını her biri 60 bıldırcından oluşan 7 gruba ayrıldı. Kontrol grubu arjinin ve lizin ilavesi yapılmayan (arjinin:lizin oranı gereksinim düzeyinde olan) temel rasyonla beslenirken, deneme grupları temel rasyona % 0.1 arjinin, % 0.2 arjinin, % 0.1 lizin, % 0.2 lizin, % 0.1 arjinin + % 0.1 lizin ve % 0.2 arjinin + % 0.2 lizin katılarak oluşturuldu. Yem tüketiminin % 0.1 lizin, % 0.2 lizin ve % 0.1 arjinin + % 0.1 lizin gruplarında kontrol ve arjinin gruplarına göre düştüğü belirlendi (P<0.01). Deneme sonunda canlı ağırlığın dişilerde tüm deneme gruplarında arttığı (P<0.05), yumurta kabuk kalınlığının % 0.2 arjininli grupta azaldığı (P<0.01), albumin indeksi ise % 0.2 arjinin + % 0.2 lizin grubunda %0.1 arjinin, %0.2 lizin ve %0.1 arjinin + % 0.1 lizin gruplarına göre arttığı (P<0.05) tespit edildi. Yumurta verimi, yumurta ağırlığı, yemden yararlanma oranı, şekil indeks, Haugh birimi, sarı indeks, ak indeks ve sarı renk indeksi yönünden ise deneme gruplarında değişiklik oluşmadığı belirlendi....

Estimation of genetic parameters for egg production traits in Japanese quail that selected for immune responses and fed different level of dietary L-arginine

“…[6] also found that egg production at the age of 45 days after maturity did not differ significantly between the four generations selected for two genetic lines, one of which was high immunity and the other low for Newcastle disease antigens. [8] found that adding different levels of arginine and lysine by 0.1, and 0.2 % in the diet of Japanese quail did not affect significantly on the egg production and the sexual maturity . [17] showed that the genetic and phenotypic correlation between the characteristic of the number of eggs produced and the characteristic of egg weight was negatively correlated (-0.22, -0.18) in three chicken breeds (Penedesenca Negre, Prat Lleonada, Empordanesa Roja), and estimates of the heritability for the egg production were 0.20, 0.31, and 0.33 respectively.…”

“…Arginine is an important source of protein synthesis substrates as well as a precursor for many molecules such as nitric oxide, Creatine, ornithine, glutamate, polyamines, and Proline [8]. Moreover the daily requirement of this acid is almost different between the types of breeds within the same species and between the sexes and the different age of the birds.…”