Effects of feed additives on growth-related hormones and performance of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonicd)

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of probiotic, prebiotic and synbiotic as natural feed additives on growth performance, visceral organ weights in sulin, thyroxin and growth hormone (growth-related hormones) of Japanese quail. A total of 192, one day old Japanese quail chicks were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 treatments by 4 replicates and 12 birds pen-1. The experimental diets consisted of a basal diet without additive (control), 0.2 g kg-1 probiotic (Protexin), 1.6 g kg-1 prebiotic (Fermacto) and 1.0 g kg-1 synbiotic (Biomin IMBO) added to the basal diet. At 42 days, growth performance values calculated then 8 birds (4 male and 4 female) randomly selected, weighted and slaughtered for visceral organs weight recording and blood sampling were taken for analysis of serum hormones by ELISA kits. Quails fed synbiotic and prebiotic had higher feed intake than control birds (p<0.05). High body weight and better feed conversion were in synbiotic (p<0.05) and then in prebiotic group. The weight of each visceral organs were lower in group that had prebiotic (p<0.05). The blood insulin in quails which had synbiotic was higher than other groups (p<0.05) and in probiotic and prebiotic groups were higher than control group (p<0.05). The growth hormone level was higher in synbiotic and probiotic fed groups than control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, these types of feed additives specially synbiotic and then prebiotic could be used in quail's diet to improve the body weight and feed conversion by increasing the feed intake and stimulating the insulin and growth hormone release and they have implications in human health in organic production of meat and egg. © Medwell Journals, 2011.