Fattening Performance of Japanese Quails (coturnix coturnix japonica) Fed on Diets with High Levels of Dry Fermented Wheat, Barley and Oats Grains in Whey with Citrus Pomace

Abstract

In order to test the effects of fermenting grains in liquid whey with citrus pomace and copper sulphate for 8 h at 30-40 ⁰C, a control diet with 60% non-fermented corn (CON) and three diet with 60, 57 and 57% of dry fermented wheat (DFW), barley (DFB) and oat (DFO), respectively were fed to 1 day-old quails for 35 days in experiment 1, and fed to 21 day-old quails for 15 days in experiment 2. Experiment 1: in comparison to CON, birds fed on DFW had similar feed intake (FI), while produced significantly (P<0.05) high weight gain (WG), body weight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Birds of DFB had similar BW and WG with the birds of CON, but had significantly (P<0.05) increased FI and worsened FCR in first two weeks. Birds of DFO had significantly (P<0.05) reduced FI, but with better FCR values. Birds on DFO had significantly (P<0.05) low BW and WG at day 7 and day 14, but hereafter they compensated for the depressed BW and WG, to be closer to that of CON birds. Experiment 2: birds fed on DFB and DFO decreased FI, BW and WG, but with similar FCR values, compared to birds on CON and DFW. Carcass yield and digestive tract development were influenced by fermentation. It was concluded that DFW, and partially DFB significantly (P<0.05) improved bird’s performance when fed from day 1, but no beneficial effects were observed when fed from 21 day old, and that dietary levels of fermented barley and oats must be set under 50%.