Performance, egg quality and serum parameters of Japanese quails fed diet supplemented with Spirulina platensis

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of Spirulina platensis on growth performance, egg quality and some serum parameters of laying Japanese quails. For this experiment, 100 ten weeks-old, female Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) with similar body weight were caged individually and were randomly divided into four groups of 25 quails each. Quails were fed diets supplemented with 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0% Spirulina platensis for 8 weeks. Spirulina platensis addition did not affect feed conversion ratio, feed intake, egg production, egg weight, shape index, eggshell thickness and haugh unit, significantly (P>0.05). However, there were significant differences (P0.05). The mean egg yolk cholesterol levels dropped by 19.65 and 18.93% in the 1.0 or 2.0% Spirulina platensis supplemented groups compared with control group. In conclusion, Spirulina algae can be used safely in laying quails diets with important effects on serum parameters and egg yolk cholesterol. © 2016 PSP.Firat University Scientific Research Projects Management UnitThis research was supported by the Mustafa Kemal University the Scientific Research Projects Unit with 08 V 0102 project number