Canola and coconut oils in the feed of European quails (Coturnix coturnix)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of canola and coconut oils to diets of European quail (Coturnix coturnix) over performance and carcass yield. One hundred and ninety-two quail (eight-days old) were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments with six replicates of eight birds each. The treatments were arranged in a factorial 2 x 2 scheme with two sources of dietary oil containing two levels of canola and coconut oils (1 and 2%). For performance variables, the final weight was evaluated, and the carcass variables were feed intake, weight gain, and feed conversion. A significant difference was observed between treatments for feed intake, with the inclusion of 2% canola oil providing higher intake. There was also significant effect for carcass characteristics on weight at fasting, eviscerated carcass, liver and gizzard weights, as well as liver, heart, and gizzard yields. The inclusion of vegetable oil such as canola and coconut oils in diets for European quail at the levels of 1 and 2% can be performed with no negative effect on performance from 8 to 42 days of age.