An experiment was conducted to study the effectiveness of dietary
butyric acid glycerides supplementation as a growth promoter on Japanese
quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) performance, carcass characteristics,
intestinal pH, bacteria enumeration and blood parameters. A total number
of 360 unsexed day-old Japanese quail chicks were equally divided into
four groups of three replicates each. Two starter-grower corn-soybean
meal (C-SBM) basal diets were formulated to contain 24% CP and 2900
kcal ME/kg diet and 22% CP and 2750 kcal ME/kg diet, respectively.
Also, two layer C-SBM basal diets were formulated to contain 20 % CP
and 2900 kcal ME/kg diet and 18% CP and 2750 kcal ME/kg diet,
respectively. Each of the four basal diets was either unsupplemented or
supplemented with 2 kg/ton dietary butyric acid glycerides (BA).
Therefore, four experimental treatments were used in both startinggrowing and laying periods. At 42 days of age, a slaughter test was
performed to determine carcass traits, edible giblets, lymphoid organs and
intestinal microflora count and pH. Blood samples were taken and assayed
to determine some serum blood parameters. At laying period, egg number,
weight, mass and production as well as feed intake and conversion were
recorded. At the end of the 90-day period, egg samples were taken and
broken out to determine egg quality. During growing period, the results
showed that supplementing BA to diet (24% CP and 2900 kcal ME/kg)
significantly decreased feed intake, abdominal fat, counts of E coli and
salmonella spp. in both ileum and caecum. However, it significantly
increased pH and counts of Lactobacillus spp. in ileum and caecum as
well as serum Ca and P concentrations. Supplementing BA to diet (22%
CP and 2750 kcal ME/kg) significantly increased growth performance,
thymus gland, Lactobacillus spp and pH in ileum and caecum. During
laying period, the results showed that supplementing BA to diet (20 % CP
and 2900 kcal ME/kg) significantly decreased feed intake, improved feed
conversion ratio and increased egg albumen. However, Supplementing
BA to diet (18% CP and 2750 kcal ME/kg) led to significant improvement
in egg production traits, egg shape index, Haugh units, shell thickness,
egg yolk and egg shell. From nutritional point of view, it was observed
that using dietary butyric acid at a level of 2 kg/ton dietary in Japanese
quail diets containing sub-optimal energy and protein levels helped in reducing microflora count, particularly pathogens and in turn, improving
quail performance and immunity