Effect of adding celery seeds and Alfalfa powder on the productive and qualitative performance of quail eggs

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the effect of adding celery seeds and Alfalfa powder to the diet on the performance and some of the blood biochemical characteristics of quail birds. The study was conducted from 20/5/2022 to 19/7/2022 at the poultry field that belongs to the animal production department/college of Agriculture / University of Kirkuk. The experiment contained 4 treatments as follows: 1) basal diet (without any addition), 2) basal diet + 3% celery seeds, 3) basal diet + 3% Alfalfa powder, 4) basal diet + 3% celery seeds + 3% Alfalfa powder. Ninety-six quail birds were randomly assigned to the 4 treatment diets. In addition, the treatments contained 6 replicates and each replicate used 4 quail birds in vertical cages. At the end of the nutritional experiment (8 weeks), 2 birds were slaughtered from each replicate to conduct the biochemical blood test. The result of the research showed a significant improvement in treatment 4 compared to the control diet in the matter of egg production and the HU unit. Whereas, there were no differences in feed consumption rate, food conversion factor, egg weight, yolk weight, white weight, shell weight, yolk height, white height, and shell thickness. The result of the biochemical blood test showed no significant differences between the experimental diets in ALT (IU/L), AST (IU/L), ALP (Unit/Lit), FSH (pg/ml), and LH (pg/ml).

Keywords

• quail eggs
• celery
• alfalfa