Philippine E-Journals

Evaluation of Growth Performance of Quails Subjected to Different Feeding and Lighting Regimens

Thelma M. Torio | Clarita T. Dagaas

Discipline: Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science

 

Abstract:

The study was conducted to determine the effects of different feeding and lighting regimens on the growth performance of quails. A total of 360 day-old quails were randomly distributed to four treatments, namely: continuous light and ad libitum feeding, continuous light and restricted feeding, restricted light and ad libitum feeding and restricted light and restricted feeding. Each treatment was replicated three times with thirty birds per replicate. The quail's body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption and feed efficiency were significantly lower (P<0.05) when subjected to restricted feeding than when given ad libitum feeding. Birds under restricted light converted feed more efficiently (P<0.05) than birds raised under continuous light. Age at sexual maturity was significantly delayed (P<0.05) by 11 days when restricted feeding regimen was implemented during the growing period. Moreover, neither lighting nor feeding regimens significantly affected (P>0.05) weight of first egg. The cost of producing ready-to-lay pullet quails was lowest when birds were raised under restricted light and ad libitum feeding.