Performance of Japanese quails under different energy and protein levels in hot and humid conditions

Two hundred and seventy day-old Japanese quails were divided into nine groups with three replications having 10 quails per replication to evaluate a suitable dietary energy and protein combination in hot and humid climate during summer. Nine dietary treatments containing three metabolizable energy (ME) levels (2700, 2800 and 2900 Kcal/Kg) with three crude protein (CP) levels (22, 24 and 26%) in a 3 x 3 factorial design during starter (0–4 week) and finisher period (5- 8 weeks) were tried. The quails of T₅ (CP 24%, ME 2800 Kcal/kg diet) group showed highest body weight of 89.69 g ±1.89 and 125.07 g ±2.45 in 3^rd and 4^th week, respectively. From 5^th -8^th week treatments receiving (T₇,T₈ and T₉) high calorie diet (2900 Kcal/kg ME) showed higher body weight than other groups. The feed intake of quails in the three low energy groups (T₁, T₂ and T₃) receiving 2700 ME Kcal/kg was higher from 4^th to 8^th week. After 5^th week significantly lower FCR was observed in higher energy groups than lower energy groups. Lower feed cost of Rs. 66.43 for production of kg live weight was observed in T₇ group birds fed with CP 22% and 2900 ME Kcal/kg. There was no significant difference of blood glucose, serum protein, serum albumen and blood urea among different treatments. Where as serum triglyceride and cholesterol level of higher energy groups showed higher value than lower energy groups. No significant differences of carcass traits like dressed weight per cent, giblet per cent, eviscerated weight per cent, thigh, wing, breast, neck etc, was found among the treatments. It is concluded that Japanese quails during starter period (0–4 weeks) performed better at the ration containing 24 per cent CP and 2800 ME Kcal/kg of diet where as in later stage (58 weeks) the requirement of energy is 2900 ME Kcal/kg and protein 22 per cent may be optimum in hot and humid climatic condition.