Production and Egg Quality of Quail Layer Given Diets Containing Different Levels of Crab (Portunus pelagicus) by-Product Meal

Abstract

Crab (Portunus pelagicus) by-product is by-product of  shery industry considered to be source of Ca, protein and chitin. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate effect of different levels of crab by-product meal (CPM) in quail feed on egg production and quality. A thousand of two-month-old quail layer (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in their  rst two week laying period were randomly allocated into  ve dietary treatments in which each treatment consisted of  ve replicates with 40 birds each. The dietary treatments were P0, P1, P2, P3, and P4 containing 0%, 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% CPM respectively, in combination with rice bran, ground yellow corn, crude palm oil, broiler starter diet, premix, and consentrate. Feed was provided ad libitum, mixed with 1:1 water to reduce dustiness and drinking water was always available. Feed consumption and egg production were recorded daily. Observation was done in 30 days period. Three eggs from each replicate were taken at the last day of observation for quality assessment. Feed consumption were 23-26 g/bird/d, and did not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments. Inclusion of 6% CPM maintained high (80-87%) egg production with weight of 10.22 – 10.61g/egg . But egg weight and production reduced (P<0.05) for the bird given diet containing 8% CPM. The yolk color was not affected but Haugh Unit (HU), increased as the levels of crab by product increases. These results indicate that 6% CPM can be included in quail layer diet without affecting egg weight and production, and improve the egg internal quality.