Quail egg yield and quality of the Coturnix coturnix response to the addition level of agave inulin to the drinking water

Abstract

To assess the effect of agave inulin addition to drinking water, one hundred (65 days old) Coturnix coturnix japonica hens were divided randomly into four groups with five birds per cage. Twenty five birds were assigned to each of the following treatments: i) control; addition of agave inulin in the drinking water at; ii) 2.0% (w/w), iii) 4.0%; and iv) 6%. The feeding trial lasted for six weeks. Inulin increased (P0.05). The egg weight was similar among treatments (average 12.70 g) and varied slightly with the inulin level (P=0.0537). The egg shell (percentage of the egg) was not influenced by the inulin. But, the calcium concentration in the eggshell of the present trial varied with the level on the agave inulin in the drinking water (P0.05). Then, the agave inulin addition to the drinking water increases the egg yield of Japanese quails.

Keywords

• Agave inulin, Egg yield, Quail