Effect of supplemental copper on growth, haematology and reproductive performance of japanese quails

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplemental copper (0, 200, 300, 400 mg/100 kg diet) on growth, haematology, laying performance and egg quality of Japanese quails. A total of 360 birds randomly allocated to four dietary treatments with 30 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design were used for the growth trial for a period of four weeks. The laying phase comprised of 132 six-week old Japanese quails randomly allocated to four treatments with three replicates of 11 birds each in a completely randomized design for four weeks. The result of the growth phase showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in feed consumption, final weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio, weight of first egg, age at peak lay, number of eggs and mortality. Significant (P<0.05) difference was observed in age at first egg, age at 10% lay and age at 50% lay There was also no significant (P>0.05) difference in packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), red blood cells (RBC), white blood cell (WBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC). The result of the laying phase showed no significant (P>0.05) difference in final weight, weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg number, average egg weight, egg mass, hen-housed production and hen-day production. However, yolk diameter significantly (P<0.05) increased with the inclusion of dietary copper. Supplemental copper (0, 200, 300, 400 mg/100 kg diet) did not improve growth, haematological indices, laying performance and egg quality of Japanese quails.