Acidulating in water of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) housed under different densities

Abstract

The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of the acidulating water inclusion of 600 Japanese quails in the final stages of production housed under different densities affect performance and egg quality. A completely randomized experimental design was applied with four treatments in a 2x2 factorial arrangement, being two densities of 24 and 36 birds per cage (corresponding to 141.67 and 94.44 cm2/bird, respectively) and two water diets (with or without acidulating) and five replicates each. The following performance, feed intake, egg weight, egg production, egg mass, feed conversion ratio (FCR kg/dz and FCR kg/kg) and mortality.  The quality of eggs was evaluated by specific gravity, percentages of the yolk, albumen and bark. No significant differences were observed for any of the variables studied (P<0.05) using acidulating, but there were significant effects of density to measure daily feed intake (P< 0.01), with lower consumption when using density 94.44 cm2. None of the treatments influenced (P<0.05) external and internal egg quality of Japanese quail. I have concluded that the lower feed intake of birds housed in higher densities has brought losses to intake of important nutrients for the maintenance of the quality of eggs.