Substitution of Enzyme Treated Barley Instead of Yellow Corn in the Diets of Coturnix coturnix japonica

Abstract

Total of 300 birds of Japanese quail at 7 weeks of age were fed on five experimental diets for 12 weeks, contain different levels of barley. The 1st diet were used as control (15%barley ), 2nd and 3rd diets had 40% and 60% of barley without enzyme while the 4th and 5th diets were included 40% & 60% of barley treated with β-glucanase (Avizyme) at the ratio of one gram of enzyme per kg barley. The birds were randomly distributed into five treatments, each treatment with three replicates (20birds/rep). Results shoued on significant differences (P>0.05) in egg weight , egg production and food conversion ratio between the 1st and 4th , 5th diets while these parameters values were significantly reduced (P<0.05) at the 2nd & 3rd diets compared with 1st diet. However the results of this study indicated the possibility of using 60% of barley treated with β-glucanase in the diet of Japanese quail instead of yellow corn under same condition of this trail without any effects on growth and egg production