The effect of diets containing different amounts of chasteberry seed on performance, carcass, meat quality and stress parameters of Japanese quails

Abstract

Aim of study: To investigate the effects of diets containing different amounts of chasteberry seeds (Vitex agnus- castus L.) on the growing performance, slaughter characteristics, breast meat quality characteristics and stress parameters of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Area of study: Çakmar, Aydın, Türkiye. Material and methods: A total of 240 one-day-old mixed-sex Japanese quail chicks (9.38 ± 0.02 g) were divided into three treatments with four replicates of 20 birds each in a completely randomized design. The groups were fed a control diet without chasteberry seeds (CS0), a diet containing 25 g/kg chasteberry seeds (CS25), and a diet containing 50 g/kg chasteberry seeds (CS50). The experiment lasted 35 days. Main results: Body weight, body weight gain, and feed intake of the CS50 group were found to be lower than the other groups on days 0-35 (p<0.05). No statistically significant difference was found in carcass and internal organ weights (p>0.05). Except for breast meat water holding capacity, lightness, redness, and hue angle characteristics in females, the effects of diets containing different chasteberry seeds on the meat quality characteristics of male and female quails were not significant (p>0.05). CS25 and CS50 diets caused a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in glutathione, catalase, and superoxide dismutase values and a statistically significant decrease (p<0.05) in malondialdehyde values in male quail breast meat. Economically, although the lowest feed cost was obtained in the CS50 group, there was no difference in net profit between the groups. Research highlights: The addition of 25 g/kg chasteberry seeds in quail diets can be used easily without any negative effects. However, further studies are needed to determine the effects of different doses of chasteberry seeds on performance and meat quality.