Authors : Mustafa Midilli , Ismail Bayram , Handan Erol , I. Sadi Cetingul , Serkan Cakir , Eda Calikoglu and Mustafa Kiralan
Abstract: The present experiment, was carried out to evaluate the effects of dietary Popy Seed Oil (PSO) and Sunflower Oil (SFO) alone or in combination in quail diets on the performance, reproduction and egg quality parameters and fatty acid composition of egg yolk. Totally 196 female and 56 male Japanese quails of 7 weeks of age were individually weighed. The initial body weight was comparable. The birds were randomly assigned to 1 of 7 dietary treatments, with each treatment replicated 4 times randomly among the batteries with 7 female and 2 male quails for replicate. Control group was fed a diet unsupplemented PSO and/or SFO. The diets of treatment groups were supplemented PSO and SFO as follows: Group I; 15 g kg-1 PSO, Group II; 15 g kg-1 SFO, Group III; 7.5 g kg-1 PSO + 7.5 g kg-1 SFO, Group IV; 30 g kg-1 PSO, Group V; 30 g kg-1 SFO and Group VI; 15 g kg-1 PSO + 15 g kg-1 SFO, respectively. The birds received water and feed ad libutum during the study. The addition of PSO and SFO alone or in combination did not significantly affect performance, hatchability and fertility, egg quality traits (egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index and egg haugh unit). However, dietary PSO, SFO and PSO + SFO supplementation significantly (p<0.05) caused to decrease on saturated fatty acid levels in egg yolk. On the other hand PSO, SFO and PSO + SFO supplementation to the experimental diets resulted in increase (p<0.001) on unsaturated fatty acid in egg yolk. The results of this study, demonstrated that PSO, SFO and PSO + SFO supplementations into quail diets caused significant positive effects due to decreasing of saturated fatty acids and increasing of unsaturated fatty acids in egg yolk without adverse effects on laying performance, hatchability, fertility and egg quality traits of laying quails.
Mustafa Midilli , Ismail Bayram , Handan Erol , I. Sadi Cetingul , Serkan Cakir , Eda Calikoglu and Mustafa Kiralan , 2009. The Effects of Dietary Poppy Seed Oil and Sunflower Oil on Performance, Reproduction and Egg Quality Parameters and Fatty Acid Profile of Egg Yolk in the Japanese Quail. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 8: 379-384.