Protein and metabolizable energy on a meat quail line/Niveis de proteina bruta e energia metabolizavel em uma linhagem de codorna de corte

• Published in: Acta scientiarum. Animal sciences 2012-04, Vol.34 (2), p.169
• Main Authors: Veloso, Rogerio de Carvalho, Pires, Aldrin Vieira, Timpani, Vivian Dagnesi, Drumond, Eduardo Silva Cordeiro, Goncalves, Flaviana Miranda, Filho, Daniel Emygdio de Faria
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Subjects: Analysis; Body weight; Legal fees; Meat; Nutritional requirements; Quails
• ISSN: 1806-2636
• DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v34i2.12589

This study aimed to establish the levels of crude protein and metabolizable energy for improved weight gain, body weight, feed intake and feed conversion in meat quails. A total of 540 quails were used during three experimental periods: baseline (1 to 21st day), growth (22nd to 35th day) and finishing (36 to 49th day). The treatments were a combination with five levels of crude protein (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26% CP) and three energy levels (2,700; 2,900 and 3,100 kcal [kg.sup.-1]), divided into three blocks. Regression models for response surface were used as the method of statistical analysis. Feed conversion occurred in the growth phase (22nd to 35th day) regardless of the energy level in the diet of quails. Higher levels of energy (around 3,000 kcal [kg.sup.-1]) and higher protein levels provided the best weight gain. In the baseline and growth stages, the quails did not differ in body weight according to diet CP level. However, at the finishing stage, the quails showed improved body weight for the highest levels of crude protein.