Effect of adding active dried yeast into Japanese quail diets on performance, some immunity and microbiological aspects

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of adding 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% active dried yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) into diets of Japanese quails on their performance. As well the effect on small intestine thickness, some immunity characteristics and ileal content of total bacteria, fungi and yeast were investigated. Five hundred day old Japanese quails were used and divided into five experimental treatments as 100 birds each. The results indicated that, average body weight of Japanese quails fed yeastsupplemented diets were higher than the control. This improvement may be related to the increase in nutrients availability resulted from antagonistic effect of yeast against harmful enterobacteria. There was a slight reduction in feed consumption values of yeast feed groups. Feed efficiency ratios improved by 6, 9, 12 and 3% due to adding yeast by levels of 0.5%, 1%, 1.5% and 2% into diets respectively. Small intestine wall thickness was clearly reduced by feeding yeast. There was increase in bursa and spleen size associated with elevation WBC's, Haemagglutination Inhibition (HI) titre against sheep RBC's and blood globulin. Ileal content of total bacteria and fungi was significantly decreased due to supplementation yeast diets. The count 0 f yeast cells in ileal content increased as dietary yeast levels increase.