GROWTH AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF JAPANESE QUAILS (Corturnix cortunix japonica) FED DRIED CORN SILK POLYALTHIA LONGIFOLIA LEAF MEAL MIXTURE

A study was conducted to assess the growth and haematological parameters of japanese quails (corturnix cortunix japonica) fed dried corn silk- polyalthia longifolia leaf meal mixture. One hundred and eighty (one week) old Japanese quails were used for this study. Experimental animals which weighed between 18.03 and 18.16 grams were allotted to four dietary treatments of forty five quails per group in a completely randomized design. The basal feed was formulated to meet the nutritional requirement of quails according to NRC (1994). Four treatments groups had diets containing PLCSM at 0, 5, 10 and 15% dietary inclusion levels. Feed and water were provided ad libitum throughout the experimental period which lasted for 7 weeks The performance criteria were initial live weight, final live weight, total feed intake, feed conversion ratio, daily water intake and mortality while the blood profile includes the hematological. All the hematological parameters evaluated: Pack cell volume (PCV), Haemoglobin (Hb), White blood cell (WBC), Red blood cell (RBC), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) were significantly(P<0.05) affected by the inclusion of PLCSM. Significant influences were also observed for final live weight, feed intake,daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, daily water consumption and mortality rate. The results of this experiment demonstrated that the inclusion of PLCSM up to 15% has no deleterious effect on the performance and health status of quailscn.bing.co