NUTRITIONAL STUDIES ON POULTRY STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF SUPPLEMINTING FENUGREEK, BLACK SEED AND GUAR IN THE DIET ON THE PERFORMANCE OF JAPANESE QUAIL

Abstract

The present study was carried out at the Department of Poultry Production, Kafr EI-Sheikh Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University from July to August 1998. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of supplementation of fenugreek, black seed and guar to diet on the performance of growing Japanese quail. In this study, 540 weaned Japanese quail chick were used from 2 to 6 weeks of age. Birds fed diet containing 0, 1%F (Fenugreek), 2%F, 1%B (Black seed), 2%B, 1%G (Guar), 2%G, 1%(F+B), 2%(F+B), 1%(B+G), 2%(B+G), 1%(F+G), 2%(F+G), 1%(F+B+G) and 2%(F+B+G). herbs added to the diet in crushed seeds form with 1% (1Okg I ton) and 2%(20kg I ton). The results could be summarized as follows: 1- No significant differences in body weight were detected at 2 and 3 weeks of age, while significant differences among treatment were observed in body weight at 4, 5 and 6 weeks of age. Final body weight of birds fed diet containing 2% black seed surpassed the other treatments. 2- Significant differences were noticed for growth rate among treatments at 3, 4 and 5 weeks of age but at 6 weeks of age dial not reveal any significant change. 3- There were no significant differences in feed consumption at 2-3, 3-4 and 4-5 weeks of age but at 5-6 and 2-6 weeks of age there were significant differences among treatment. 4- Feed conversion showed insignificant differences in 2-3 and 3-4 weeks of age but a significant change at 4-5 , 5-6 and 2-6 weeks of age was deleted. The data showed also that the addition of 2% black seed caused the best feed conversion at 2-6 weeks of age. 5- T4(1% B), T5(2% B) and T7(2% G) did not induce mortality 6- Relative weights of carcass, heart, kidney, spleen, bursa, liver, gizzard and thymus were insignificantly affected by herbs addition.