An experiment was conducted to study the effectiveness of dietary
malic acid supplementation as a growth promoter on Japanese quail
performance, carcass characteristics, intestinal villi and pH, bacteria
enumeration, blood parameters, digestibility coefficients and
economical efficiency. A total number of 360 unsexed day-old Japanese
quail chicks were equally divided into 4 groups of 6 replicates each.
Two starter-grower corn-soybean meal (C-SBM) basal diets were
formulated to contain 24 % CP & 2900 kcal ME /kg diet and 22 % CP
& 2750 kcal ME /kg diet, respectively. Also, two layer C-SBM basal
diets were formulated to contain 20 % CP & 2900 kcal ME /kg diet and
18 % CP & 2750 kcal ME /kg diet, respectively. Each of the 4 basal
diets was either unsupplemented or supplemented with 0.05 % malic
acid. Therefore, 4 experimental treatments were used in both startinggrowing and laying periods. Each chick group fed one of the 4
experimental diets. At 35 days of age, a slaughter test was performed to
determine carcass traits, edible giblets, lymphoid organs and intestinal
villi, microflora count and pH. Blood samples were taken and assayed
to determine some serum blood parameters. Digestibility trials were
conducted to determine nutrients digestibility for starter-grower
experimental diets. 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 internal egg quality and analysis. From nutritional and
economical point of view, it was observed that using malic acid at a
level of 0.05 % in Japanese quail diets containing sub-optimal energy
and protein levels helped in reducing microflara count, particularly
pathogens and in turn, improving quail performance and immunity. This
can alleviate the financial pressure on the farmer.