A STUDY OF SUBSTITUTING YELLOW CORN AND SOYBEAN MEAL BY SORGHUM GRAIN AND RAW SUNFLOWER ON THE PERFORMANCE OF JAPANESE QUAIL

Abstract

The experimental wLk of the present study was carried out at the Poultry Research Station, Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum, Cairo University. Chemical analysis was performed in the laboratories of the same institute according to the procedures outlined by AOAC, 1990.

Two experiments were conducted during the period from December

1998 to March 1999 whih included the growing and laying periods of Japanese quail. Effects of ubstituting yellow corn (YC) by four varieties of sorghum grain (SG): Strain 113, Giza 15, Mena and Baladi on Japanese quail performance were studied (experiment 1). YC of the control diet was partially I substituted by varieties of SG at replacement ratio of 0, 50 or 100 %. Also,

effects of substituting soyJean meal (SBM) by three varieties of raw full-fat I I sunflower seeds (FSFS): /Vedock,. Isoflower and Vebes on performance of

growmg and laying Japanese quad (expenment 2). Soybean meal of the control diet was partially sJbstituted by that ofFSFS at replacement ratio of 0, I 0 or 20 %. The experime!ltal diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric.

Six hundred and fo)iy one-day old unsexed Japanese quail birds were used in both experiments and were initially fed a control diet for one week. Then, chicks were individually weighed, wing-banded and randomly allotted to dietary treatments. ChickJ were raised in electrically heated batteries with raised wire mesh floors Jd had free access to feed and water. The birds were given the experimental didts from the end of the first week unti142 days of age (growing period) and froJ 43 to 112 days of age (laying period).