Indian Veterinary Journal, vol.86, no.5, pp.497-499, 2009 (SCI-Expanded)
Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of decreasing methionine, lysine and threonine amino acids in a low protein diet for Japanese quails from pre-laying to peak egg production period. Control diet consisted of the National Research Council (NRC) suggested values of these three amino acids. Other diets had 96 and 92% of NRC suggestion. For each treatment, twenty 35day old quails were separately kept in individual cages. Trial was terminated when quails became 60-day old: Decreasing the amino acid contents in low protein diets did not negatively affect the average days to the first egg production, total and last week egg production. Besides, decreasing the amino acid contents did not increase feed consumption, both the coats of diets of each group and the costs of total feed consumed by quails decreased compared to control group. Japanese quails can be fed from pre-laying to peak egg production period using low protein diets whose methionine, lysine and threonine contents are decreased to as low as 92% of NRC recommended values, without increasing the feed consumption and any performance loss.