Effect of Different Levels of Metabolizing Energy on Productive Performance of Two Grower Quail Strains

Two strains of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), including 250 birds of desert and 250 birds of white color, all one day old and unsexed, were divided into five treatment groups with 50 replicates in each group. These treatments included five levels of metabolism energy (ME) levels, including 2700, 2800, 2900, 3000, and 3100 Kcal/Kg diet. The study included one stage from day 1 to day 42 of birds’ age. The results confirmed a statistically significant difference (P≤0.05) caused by ME levels in the body weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (feed [g]: weight gain [g]), water consumption, water conversion ratio (ml: weight gain[g]), protein conversion ratio (protein [g]: weight gain [g]), energy conversion ratio (Kcal: weight gain [g]), carcass weight, in addition to albumin and triglyceride. Therefore, the results showed significant effects (P≤0.05) of ME levels and the interaction on feed consumption, protein consumption, edible giblet percentage, tenderness, and juiciness. Significant differences (P≤0.05) were also caused by ME levels in the total cholesterol. In addition, significant differences (P≤0.05) have been found in the interaction on mortality percentage. Net return (Iraqi Dinar/live weight [Kg]) for desert quail was better than that for the white quail (2900 Kcal/Kg diet), and the interaction effect was stronger on the desert strain with 2900 Kcal than the white strain.