The effect of dietary colostrum powder on performance, carcass yields and serum lipid peroxidation levels in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica)

Abstract

Colostrum is a nutrient-dense fluid secreted by female mammals for the first few days following birth. Colostrum can be supplemented to poultry diets as a feed additive due to its nutritious and performance-enhancing properties. This study was conducted to determine the effect of dietary colostrum powder (CL-P, Alpha Lipid Lifeline Colostrum, New Zealand) on growing performance, carcass weight and yield, organ weights, serum vitamins and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 90 birds, one day old, were divided into 3 groups consisting of 6 replicate cages, 5 birds per cage. Birds were randomly fed on one of three diets: basal diet and basal diet supplemented with 2.5% or 5% of CL-P. At the end of the period of 42 days, CL-P supplementation increased final body weight (P