ABSTRACT The present study was executed to evaluate the effect of lighting programs for meat quails on their bone growth and development. A total of 1500 sexed European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) were distributed using a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with two sexes and three lighting programs (natural, intermittent, and continuous) with five replicates of 50 quails. The lighting programs were applied in the period from 7 to 49 d of age. Weekly slaughterings were performed to remove the tibiotarsus and femur and subsequently determine weight, length, dry and mineral matter content. The growth and deposition curves of dry and mineral matter in the bones were obtained using the Gompertz model. There was no significant interaction between lighting programs and sex for the estimates of the Gompertz curve parameters of all variables studied. There was an effect of the lighting programs only on the time needed to reach the maximum deposition rate of the growth curve and dry and mineral matter deposition. Females showed higher weight and deposition of mineral matter at maturity, and took longer to reach the maximum deposition rate value for these variables. There was influence of the lighting programs on resistance and bone deformity of the tibiotarsus. For quails raised in the tropical region, a natural or intermittent lighting program must be used, as it does not compromise the development of bones and assures bone quality.

ABSTRACT We determined the nutritional and energy compositions of sunflower seed cake (SC) and examined the effects of its inclusion in the diet of meat quail. A metabolism trial was performed employing the total excreta collection method, with 144 quails that were assigned to three treatments (control diet and two test diets in which SC replaced 20 and 40% of the control diet) in a completely randomised design (CRD) with six replicates of eight birds. The values determined of dry matter, crude protein and metabolisable energy were 94.72%, 24.29% and 2,629 kcal/kg, respectively. For the performance trial, 432 quails were assigned to six treatments (dietary inclusion of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% SC) in a CRD with six replicates of 12 birds. The metabolic coefficients of dry matter (MCDM) and gross energy (MCGE) of the diet decreased linearly with increasing SC levels. Compared with the control group, SC inclusion at levels greater than 10% resulted in lower MCDM and MCGE values, whereas SC inclusion at 20 and 25% reduced AMEn. Weight gain, feed conversion and economic viability parameters showed a quadratic response, with the best values obtained at the respective SC levels of 15.5, 14.0, and 15.4%. Gizzard weight increased linearly with the inclusion of SC, whereas bone quality was not affected. Sunflower cake can be used up to 25% in diets of meat quails without compromising their performance. However, the best feed conversion and economic viability are obtained with an SC inclusion level of 15%.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of broken rice inclusion as substitute for corn in the diet on the performance, carcass yield, and economic viability of meat-type quails between 7 and 49 days of age. A number of 288 quails was distributed according to a completely randomized design into six treatments with six replicates of eight birds each. Treatments consisted of increasing levels of broken rice (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) in replacement of corn. Increasing levels of corn substitution by broken rice in the diet of 7- to 49-day-old meat-type quails did not affect feed intake, weight gain or feed conversion ratio (p>0.05). Relative to carcass traits, the inclusion of broken rice in the diets did not influence (p>0.05) dressing percentage or breast, leg (thigh+drumstick), liver, and gizzard yields. Moreover, feed cost per kilogram of live weight gain, cost index, and economic efficiency index were not influenced by the replacement of corn by broken rice in the diets. The performance, carcass traits and economic viability of broilers fed the different levels of broken rice inclusion were not different from the control group (p>0.05). These results indicate the economic viability of total replacement of corn by broken rice in the feeding of meat-type quails.

This study aimed at evaluating the total replacement of corn by white or red sorghum and the inclusion or not of pigment in the diet on the performance and yolk color of Japanese quail eggs. In the trial, 210 Japanese quails were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design consisting of five treatments with six replicates of seven birds each. Treatments consisted of Corn-based diet (C), white sorghum-based diet (WS), white sorghum-based diet + pigment (WSP), red sorghum-based diet (RS), and red sorghum-based diet + pigment (RSP). Feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg production, and egg mass were no influenced by the treatments. However, paler egg yolks were produced when corn was replaced by sorghum. When red and white sorghum varieties were compared, there were no differences in yolk color or response to pigment dietary inclusion. It was concluded that the total replacement of corn by sorghum in the feed did not influence the performance of Japanese quails and that yolk color response is not affected by the inclusion of pigments in diets containing sorghum, independently of its variety.