The effect of adding different levels of local grass pea on some qualitative traits of Japanese quail eggs

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in the poultry field of the research station at the College of Agriculture and the Marshes of Thi-Qar University, from 1/11/2021 to 1/4/2022, to determine the effect of replacement different levels of grass pea seeds instead of soybean meal in the diet, and their effect on the growth parameters of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix). A total of 216 Japanese quail birds of 45 days old were used, distributed randomly to four experimental treatments and three replicates (18 birds/replicate). The treatments were as follows: T1: control transaction; T2: The birds were fed a diet containing 20% soybean meal with 10% local grass pea seeds; T3: The birds were fed a diet containing 10% soybean with 20% local grass pea seeds; T4: The birds were fed a diet containing 30% local grass pea seeds. The results of the study indicated that the addition of 20% grass pea seeds powder led to a significant improvement on the qualitative traits of Japanese quail eggs (yolk and albumin height, relative weight of yolk, albumin and shell, shell thickness, yolk and albumin index and Hough unit), compared to the level of addition of 30% of crushed safflower seeds.

Keywords: local grass pea,  eggs qualitative, Japanese quail.