Regression-based determination of cumin seed as a natural growth promoter in japanese quail

This study evaluated the effects of dietary cumin seed (CS) supplementation on the growth performance and carcass traits of Japanese quail chicks from 7 to 28 days of age. A total of 375 quail chicks were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments consisting of 0.0 (control), 10, 20, 30, and 40 g/kg CS, with five replicates per treatment in a completely randomized design. Results revealed that feed intake tended to be decreased by increasing CS (P = 0.133), whereas body weight gain increased linearly with CS inclusion, showing significant improvement compared with control (P = 0.017). Gain to feed ratio (G:F) exhibited a significant quadratic response, but overall differences among treatments were not significant (P = 0.117). Carcass traits were generally not influenced by CS, although breast meat yield tended to improve with increasing CS levels (P = 0.073). Regression analyses using various polynomial and broken-line models estimated the optimum dietary cumin seed inclusion to range between 21 and 35 g/kg diet for maximizing growth performance and feed efficiency. Breast meat yield optimization was predicted at approximately 25 to 29 g/kg. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of cumin seed can enhance growth performance in Japanese quail, with an optimal inclusion level estimated near 25 to 35 g/kg of diet. These findings provide guidance for using cumin seed as a natural growth promoter to improve productive efficiency in quail production.