Animals (Apr 2023)

Potential of Full-Fat Silkworm-Based Diets for Laying Quails: Performance and Egg Physical Quality

  • Yazavinder Singh,
  • Marco Cullere,
  • Davide Bertelli,
  • Severino Segato,
  • Giovanni Franzo,
  • Antonio Frangipane di Regalbono,
  • Paolo Catellani,
  • Cristian Taccioli,
  • Silvia Cappellozza,
  • Antonella Dalle Zotte

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091510
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 9
p. 1510

Abstract

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The present research was conducted to determine the optimal inclusion level of full-fat silkworm chrysalis meal (SWM) into laying quails’ diets, focusing on performance traits and egg physical quality. A total of 240 31-day-old female Japanese quails were randomly assigned to four dietary groups (12 replicates/treatment; 5 quails/replicate); quails were initially fed a standard commercial diet for pullets until 63 days of age. When oviposition started, the experimental groups received the following diets: a conventional corn and soybean-based diet (control diet—C) and three other diets, including 4%, 8%, or 12% of full-fat SWM (SWM4, SWM8, SWM12, respectively). Experimental diets were provided until quails reached 119 days of age. Birds displayed satisfactory productive performance throughout the trial. SWM12 and SWM8 had higher (p p p 8%) require special attention because SWM also contains anti-nutritional factors.

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