Effects of Saline Drinking Water on Growth Performance and Mortality Rate of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of added different levels of common salt in drinking water on the production performance and mortality rate in Japanese quail chicks. A total of 600 one-day old (8.61±0.21 grams) Japanese quail chicks divided into six treatment groups and five replicates of 20 birds per experimental units, based on completely randomized design for 42 days. All groups were fed the same diets and only amount of salt in the water differed. Control group consumed conventional drinking water and other treatments have 1.32, 2.80, 3.80, 5.56 and 7.12 grams of salt per liter which was equal to 233 ppm total dissolved solids (TDS) for control group and 1233, 2233, 3233, 4233 and 5233 ppm for other experimental groups, respectively. The results showed that feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), live body weight (LBW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly affected by water salinity (p > 0.0001). The highest FI and worst FCR were for treatment containing 5233 ppm TDS whereas the best FCR have been observed for treatments containing 233, 1233 and 2233 ppm TDS. The mortality rate also significantly increased by the increasing TDS level in drinked water (p > 0.0001). In conclusion, in order to maintain quail chicks performance at economic and acceptable range as well as least mortality, amount of TDS in drinking water should not be more than 2233 ppm.