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Sodium levels for Japanese quail at initial phases
F G P Costa1, D F Figueiredo-Lima, M R Lima
1Federal University of Paraiba, Department of Animal Science, Areia, Paraiba, Brazil.
Poultry Science
|April 14, 2012
Summary
Determining optimal sodium levels for Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) is crucial for growth. This study found specific sodium requirements for early and later growth stages, impacting feed conversion and bone health.
Area of Science:
- Avian nutrition and physiology
- Poultry science
- Animal nutrition
Background:
- Sodium is an essential electrolyte influencing growth, metabolism, and physiological functions in poultry.
- Understanding precise sodium requirements is vital for optimizing Japanese quail production and health.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the specific sodium needs for Japanese quail across different growth phases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To ascertain the precise nutritional requirements of sodium for Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) during two critical growth periods: 1–21 days and 22–40 days of age.
- To investigate the residual effects of varying sodium intake on egg production and bone densitometry traits from 41 to 63 days of age.
- To establish optimal sodium supplementation levels for improved growth performance and bone health in Japanese quail.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using Japanese quail, with Experiment 1 focusing on 1–21 day-old birds (n=360) and Experiment 2 on 22–40 day-old birds (n=240).
- Birds were fed diets with five distinct sodium levels in each experiment, ranging from 0.06% to 0.30% in Experiment 1 and 0.04% to 0.36% in Experiment 2.
- Growth performance (weight gain, final weight, feed conversion) and water intake were monitored, alongside bone densitometry traits and tibia ash analysis.
Main Results:
- Weight gain, final weight, and feed conversion ratios exhibited a quadratic response to dietary sodium levels in both experiments.
- Water intake demonstrated a linear trend in response to increasing sodium concentrations.
- While bone densitometry traits were unaffected, tibia ash, calcium content, and the calcium:phosphorus ratio showed a quadratic influence from sodium treatments.
Conclusions:
- The optimal nutritional requirement for sodium in Japanese quail from 1 to 21 days of age was determined to be 0.222%.
- The optimal nutritional requirement for sodium in Japanese quail from 22 to 40 days of age was established at 0.253%.
- These findings provide critical data for formulating precise diets to enhance growth and bone health in Japanese quail populations.
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