Eucalyptus Leaves As Natural Dietary Supplementation For Enhancing The Productive, Physiological Performance And Immune Response Of Japanese Quail

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the substitute of antibiotic supplementation as growth promoters via eucalyptus leaves as natural additive. We studied the dietary eucalyptus supplementation on productive performance, some physiological parameters and immune response on growing Japanese quail. Four hundred and fifty of one day-old unsexed Japanese quail chicks were divided into nine groups. Birds were fed diets containing 0, 0.25 or 0.5% eucalyptus and/or 0, 0.1 or 0.2% of pharmastim 4% and the combination of each dose of them in the diet till 6 weeks of age. Body weight and weight gains of birds were recorded weekly. Blood parameters and thyroid hormones were analyzed at the end of the experiment. Some immunological traits were determined and illustrated in this study. Results indicated that body weight and body weight gain increased, the feed consumption decreased and improvement in the carcass and edible part percentages (P≤0.05 or P≤0.01) in all supplemented groups with eucalyptus and antibiotic than control group within experimental period. Quails fed on 0.5% Eucalyptus supplementation recorded the significant (P≤0.01) highest dry matter, OM, CP, EE, NFE and NB digestibility coefficients compared to the level 0.25% eucalyptus supplementation. Adding eucalyptus and antibiotics increased plasma total protein, globulin, calcium, phosphorus concentration, alkaline phosphatase and T3 hormone. However, plasma cholesterol, LDL, HDL, total lipids, AST and ALT levels were decreased when compared to control group. Also, the immune response was improved for quails fed with diets supplemented with eucalyptus or antibiotic. In addition, using eucalyptus and antibiotic have increased relative weights of spleen organ, bursa and thymus glands. Finally, adding dietary eucalyptus supplementation increased economic efficiency, performance index (PI) and production efficiency factor (PEF). In conclusion, similar results were obtained when using eucalyptus instead of antibiotic as growth promoter in diets to improve the productive, some physiological and immunological performance of Japanese quail. Therefore, eucalyptus can be used as natural additive and like growth promoter for quail diets to produce healthily animal product for human consumption.