Performance and carcass characteristics of japanese quails fed diets containing Wolffia meal [Wolffia globosa (L). Wimm.] as a protein replacement for Soybean Meal

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of replacement of Crude Protein (CP) from Soybean Meal (SBM) with CP from Wolffia meal [Wolffia globosa (L). Wimm.] on performance and carcass quality in Japanese quails. Using Completely Randomize Design (CRD), two hundred eighty-eight quails were divided into four treatments. Each treatment consisted of six replicates and each replicate contained twelve quails. The dietary treatments were T1: control diet, T2, T3 and T4: CP from SBM was replaced by CP from Wolffia meal at 25, 50 and 75%, respectively. The results showed that the feed intake of quails significantly decreased (p<0.05) when over 50% of CP from SBM was replaced by CP from Wolffia meal in the diet. However, replacement of CPfrom SBM with CPfrom Wolffia meal in the diets did not alter (p>0.05) feed efficiency, performance and carcass quality of quails. Skin pigmentation increased (p<0.05) with increasing CP replacement from Wolffia meal. In conclusion, 50% of CP from Wolffia meal could appropriately replace CP from SBM in the diet of quail. © Asian Network for Scientific Information, 2010.