1DCN Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132001, Haryana, India
College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar-263145, Uttarakhand, India
*Corresponding Author: Ph. D. Scholar, Dairy Cattle Nutrition Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal-132001, Haryana, India; E-mail: hujaztak@gmail.com
Online published on 3 November, 2015.
Japanese quail chicks (120, 7 d-old) were divided into 4 treatments of 3 replicates with 10 birds each and fed as per the specifications (BIS, 1992). The control group (T1) was not given any supplement whereas birds in groups T2, T3 and T4, were supplemented with Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) leaf powder, clove and mixture of both (powdered form) at 0.5, 0.5 and 0.25+0.25% of feed, respectively. Both Aloe vera and clove supplementation improved (P<0.05) body weight gain, protein efficiency ratio and feed conversion ratio in comparison to control and the best performance was found in T3 (0.5% clove) group. Feed intake of birds also decreased (P<0.05) in T3 group. Apparent total tract digestibility of DM, CP and EE was higher (P<0.05) in groups T2, T3 and T4 in comparison to T1. Thus, it can be concluded that both Aloe vera and clove supplementation improved growth performance and apparent digestibility of nutrients in Japanese quails.
Aloe vera, Clove, Japanese quail, Growth, Nutrient digestibility
