Effect of Feeding of Different Calcium Sources on Nutrient Utilization and Egg Quality of Japanese Quail

A study was conducted on effect of feeding of different calcium sources on the carcass characteristics, plasma and bone major mineral status of Japanese quail. One hundred eighty two (182 nos.) day-old Japanese quail chicks were purchased from Tollygunj poultry farm, Govt. of West Bengal and were individually weighed and randomly distributed into seven groups of twenty-six (26nos.) in each group. Again, different groups were subdivided into two replicates having thirteen (13 nos.) quail chicks in each replicate. In this study from the digestibility trial it revealed that dietary calcium sources have definite influences on dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre and calcium and phosphorus utilization. However there was no influence on ether extract and utilization. The egg weight of control group (dicalcium phosphate) was significantly higher (P<0.5) than other treatment groups. Calcium hydrogen phosphate and tricalcuim phosphate groups did not differ to each other but they were significantly higher (P<0.05) than CaCO₃, oyster shell, limestone and bone meal groups. No significant difference (P>0.05) observed between oyster shell and limestone groups. The egg weight in bone meal group was significantly lower than all other groups. The present finding indicated that the availability of calcium for shell formation in laying Japanese quail was highest with calcium hydrogen phosphate followed by dicalcium phosphate, CaCO₃, bone meal, limestone, tricalcium phosphate and oyster shell as determined by shell thickness whereas calcium availability was observed highest from calcium hydrogen phosphate followed by CaCO₃, limestone, oyster shell, bone meal, dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate as determined by shell weight percent. Shell thickness seemed to be more important criteria than shell weight percent for this study as indicated by dicalcium phosphate group. Though the shell weight was second highest in dicalcium phosphate group, the shell percent was lower than most other groups due to larger egg size. It can be concluded from the study that the calcium sources like dicalcium phosphate and limestone have definitely better influence on nutrient digestibility than the other sources, the largest egg size was observed due to feeding of dicalcium phosphate in laying Japanese quail.