Performance and Body Composition of Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix Japonica) Fed Different Dietary Nutrients in Nigerian Humid Tropical Environment

A five weeks feeding trial was conducted to determine the performance and body composition of Japanese quail fed different dietary nutrients. One hundred and eighty (180) Japanese quails were randomly assigned to 5 treatments. The control diet (T1) consisted of 24 % crude protein (CP), 5 % fat, 6 % crude fibre (CF) and 2600 kcal/kg ME. The other diets varied in any one of the nutrients in the control with T2 as low energy diet (2200 kcal/kg ME), T3, low crude protein diet (17 % CP), T4, high fat diet (10% fat) and T5, high fibre diet (10 % CF). Feed and water were given ad libitum. Performance records were taken while the body composition of birds was analyzed at the end of the experiment. Feed intake, final body weight, average daily weight gain and feed efficiency were significantly (P > 0.05) different across the treatments. The birds fed the low energy diet had the highest feed intake, yet had the poorest value in all other parameters measured. The body compositions of the quail in the treatments indicated that a certain proportion of fat and protein are necessary for good performance of quails. The nutrient content of diet (energy in this study) is a major determinant of the performance of Japanese quail.