Growth performance of Japanese quails fed diets containing graded levels of ginger waste meal.

Abstract

A total of two hundred and eighty eight (288) two-weeks-old Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were used to evaluate their growth performance when fed diets containing graded levels of ginger (Zingiber officinale) waste meal. They were purchased from National Veterinary Research Institute Vom, in Jos, Plateau State Nigeria. The birds were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments subdivided into four replicates containing 18 quail birds per replicate; and were fed formulated diets containing ginger waste meal at 0 (control), 10, 20 and 30 % respectively (designated as T1, T2, T3 and T4) for four weeks in a completely randomized design model. Parameters measured included initial body weight (g/b), final body weight (g/b), average weekly weight gain (g), average weekly feed intake (g), total feed intake (g) and feed conversion ratio. No significant (P >0.05) differences was observed in the initial body weight, final body weight, average weekly weight gain, and feed conversion ratio among all the treatments. However, there was significant (P< 0.05) difference in total feed intake and average weekly feed intake among the treatments with treatment 4 having highest feed intake. It was therefore concluded that the inclusion of ginger waste meal up to 30 % in the diets of Japanese quails aided increase in feed intake which could be attributed to the property of ginger as an appetizer that enhances the activities of gut microflora; and it has no detrimental effect on the growth performance of Japanese quails