Use of yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) as a protein source on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality and intestinal morphology of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to examine the effects of Tenebrio molitor (TM) larvae meal inclusion in diets as a replacement for fish meal and soybean oil on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and intestinal morphology of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica).A total of 160 mixed sex quails at seven-day of age were weighed and allocated to 20 cages. The dietary treatments were as follows: control (C) group containing 370 g soybean meal (SBM)/kg of diet and 30 g fish meal (FM)/kg of diet and four T. molitor (TM) larvae meal groups, in which TM meal was included as a replacement for FM and soybean oil at 7.5 (7.5), 15 (TM15), 22.5 (TM22.5) and 30 (TM30) g TM/kg of diet. The use of TM at the levels of 22.5 and 30 g/kg of diet significantly (P < 0.05) increased body weight (BW) of the birds compared with other groups. Quails fed 22.5 and 30 g TM/kg of diet had better FCR values compared with other groups. The carcass and breast yields obtained in birds fed 30 g TM/kg of diet was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than other groups. Significant increases in villous height and crypt depth in TM supplemented birds was found (P < 0.05). Water retention capacity, redness and yellowness were improved by TM meal supplementation (P < 0.05). In conclusion, our data indicated that increasing TM inclusion up to 30 g/kg of feed in quail diets could improve BW, FCR, carcass yield, meat quality, and histology of jejunum. Keywords: Fish meal, Intestinal morphology, Japanese quail, Performance, Mealworm