ABSTRACT The study aimed to determine evaluate the use of sorghum as a substitute for maize in the laying quail diet and its effect on performance and quality of the eggs produced the best levels of lutein (Marigold flower extract) and canthaxanthin inclusion in sorghum based Japanese quail feed as well as its influence in storage time of the eggs. A total of 680 Japanese laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica), with 64 weeks of age was distributed in a 4 × x4 factorial + 1 control scheme, with four levels of lutein (LUT), and four levels of canthaxanthin (CTX) and control group with no addition of pigments, with five replicates and eight birds per experimental unit. The experiment was divided into three cycles of 21 days, where the performance and egg quality parameters were evaluated. To evaluate the time of deposition and permanence of the pigments in the yolk, three eggs were evaluated per treatment for 12 days at the beginning of the experiment and 12 days at the end, from the last day of consumption of rations containing pigments. For performance and egg quality, no maybe only differences (p> 0.05) were observed, except for the yolk color, with higher color scores according to the increase in lutein and canthaxanthin consumption. Whereas color parameters, it was observed that at the beginning of the period of consumption, canthaxanthin levels influenced the red color reading and lutein levels influenced the yellow color readings, while in the final period the interaction of the levels of 5.4 ppm of lutein and 1.3 ppm of canthaxanthin provided better color parameters up to 10 days after the end of consumption of rations with pigment.

ABSTRACT Currently, feed formulations for quail are based on foreign data or data from other species; this undermines productivity with the use of excessive or deficient levels of some nutrients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the nutritional requirement levels of calcium (Ca) and supplementation vitamin D in meat-type quail from 1 to 14 d of age. The experiment was a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement of treatments (levels of Ca: 0.42, 0.58, 0.74 and 0.90% and levels of vitamin D: 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 and 4,000 IU) with 3 replicate pens and 43 quails per pen. Weight gain increased quadratically with increased levels of Ca and vitamin D; this variable yielded estimated levels of 0.73% Ca and 2,883 IU vitamin D. There was no Ca x vitamin D interaction effect on bone variables. Bone Ca, bone phosphorus, bone ash, femoral bone strength, tibial bone strength and the femoral Seedor index increased quadratically with an increase in Ca levels. These variables yielded estimated values of 0.78, 0.71, 0.78, 0.77, 0.83, and 0.71% Ca, respectively. It is concluded that the requirements of Ca and vitamin D for the maximum weight gain of meat-type quails, in the period from one to 14 days of age, were 0.73% Ca (p=0.001) and 2,883 IU vitamin D (p=0.02), respectively.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of the supplementation of two xylanase products to diets with reduced metabolizable energy fed to meat-type quails during the starter phase (1-14 days). A completely randomized experimental design in a 2 x 3 + 1 factorial arrangement two reduced metabolizable energy (ME) diets, inclusion or not of xylanase, and a control diet with no enzyme addition) was applied, totaling seven treatments with five replicates of 45 quails each. At 14 days of age, jejunum segments were collected for morphometry evaluation. No interaction between the studied factors were detected for performance and jejunal morphometry parameters. Body weight, weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion were not influenced by enzyme inclusion. Reduced ME diets (-70 or -140 kcal/kg) did not affect performance, except for feed intake. Xylanase inclusion increased villus height and villus:crypt ratio. Therefore, xylanase supplementation can be effective in corn and soybean meal-based diets, without causing any impairment in the performance of 1- to 14-day-old quails. Xylanases A and B were more efficient when dietary energy level was reduced in 140 kcal ME/kg, and were also shown to effectively improve the jejunal morphometry of starter meat-type quails.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the adjustment quality of nonlinear models to data organs growth, carcass and body components of meat-type (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) and japanese laying-type (Coturnix coturnix japonica) quail. A total of 1350 quails from one to 42 d old were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five replicates each. To determine the organs growth (gut, heart, liver and gizzard), carcass and body components (wing, thigh and drumstick, back and breast), two quails per repetition were slaughtered weekly. The data were evaluated in function of different nonlinear models (Logistical, Brody, Richards, Von Bertalanffy and Gompertz). All models studied adjusted the data, differing in adjustment quality. Brody model showed the best description of gut length to all treatments. For the data gizzard weight, heart, liver and gut, the models that best adjusted, presenting smaller residual mean square and numbers iterations were Gompertz and Logistical. The Gompertz, Logistic and Von Bertalanffy models were the most adequate to describe the thigh and drumstick growth, back and breast, and Gompertz models and Logistic to describe the wing growth and carcass, showing lesser number of iterations to achieve the convergence of date, as well as low residual mean square and squares sums of the regression residuals. The Gompertz model was the most appropriate to describe the organs growth and body components in meat- and laying-type quail when evaluated in growth phase.