Effect of Feed Uniformity (Particle Distribution) and Particle Size of Starter and Finisher Diets on the Performance and Carcass Weight in Japanese Quails

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to determine the ability to discriminate of feeds varying only in particle size and the effect of uniformity and particle size starter and finisher diets on the performance of young Japanese quail. Corn was ground through hammer 3, 5 or 8 mm mill screen openings (HMSO) and used prepare diets. The first experiments were carried out in completely randomized design with six replicates of thirty quails each. Each three diets containing corn with different degrees of grinding were taken as a group. The quails were fed in a choice situation with these diets during 10 days, starting at 8 th days. In this experiment, the quails consumed diets in accordance to their coarseness and feed intake of quails with fine diet (3 mm screen) was significantly higher (p<0,01) than of the other two diets, but as quails become older, preferring amount of larger particles was also increased. The 2 nd experiment was the four replicated treatments involving ten quails per treatment were as follows: 1st, 2 nd and 3 rd groups were fed the diets made from corn ground with HMSO of 3, 5, 8 mm during six weeks, 4 th and 5 th groups were fed a diet prepared with mixing in ratio of 30/70 of corn ground through the 3 and 8 mm screen and 5 and 8 mm screen during six weeks; 6 th, 7 th and 8 th groups were fed the diets made from corn ground with 3, 3 and 5 screen at the first 3 weeks and 5, 8 and 8 mm screen respectively at the last 3 weeks of the experiment. Quail performance differences due to degree of grind were minor. The diets containing HMSO corn ground through on HMSO of 5 and 8 mm produced same performance compared with that diet with corn ground through 3 mm. However, there was a trend toward lower performance for quails in the groups 5 th, 6th and 7 th.

Keywords: Japanese quail, Particle size, Corn, Hammer mill, Performance