Relationship of valine to lysine in diets for laying Japanese quail

Abstract

To determine the relationship valine to lysine for Japanese quails during the period of production, it was conducted an experiment in DZO-UFV using 480 subspecies Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with, 284 days of age. The birds were distributed in a completely randomized desing with six treatments (relationships of valine to lysine), ten replicates and eight birds per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of a basal diet deficient in valine with 18.6% crude protein and 2900 kcal metabolizable energy/kg, supplemented with five levels of L-Valine (0.051, 0.101, 0.151, 0.202 and 0.252%) corresponding to the relationships of valine to lysine of 0.75; 0.80, 0.85, 0.90, 0.95 and 1.00% respectively, and the lysine set at 1.00%. The variables studied were: feed intake (g/bird/day), egg production per bird day (%), production of commercial eggs (%), egg weight (g), egg mass (g/bird/day), feed conversion by egg mass (kg feed/kg egg), feed per dozen eggs (kg feed/dz of eggs), weight of components (yolk, albumen and shell), percentage of eggs components and specific gravity (g/cm³). There was no significant effect in the parameters evaluated in terms of relations of valine to lysine studied. The relationship of valine to lysine in the ration of 0.75 provides satisfactory performance and eggs quality of Japanese quail.