EFFECTS ON PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS IN QUAIL(Coturnix coturnix japonica) BY DIETARY ADDITION OF YEAST(Saccharomyces cerevisiae)AND LACTIC ACID BACTERIA(Pediococcus acidilactici )

This study was performed to evaluate effects on performance characteristics in quail by dietary addition of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and lactic acid bacteria (Pediococcus acidilactici). A total of 40 quail chicks were divided into four experimental groups of individually 10 birds and fed the following diets for 5 weeks: I) Control (basal diet-without probiotics); II) Control + yeast; III) Control + lactic acid bacteria; IV) Control + yeast + lactic acid bacteria. Yeast and lactic acid bacteria incorporated into the diets at 1 g/kg diet. Performance parameters (body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio) were determined weekly. Performance characteristics were affected significantly (P 0.05) by dietary addition of yeast and lactic acid bacteria throughout the experiment. At the end of this trial, birds fed diet containing yeast and lactic acid bacteria significantly improved body weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. These results suggested that the usage together with yeast and bacteria in quail diets could be more effective than alone yeast or bacteria.