The effect of sweet wormwood essence (SWE) and Lactobacillus acidophilus on performance, ileal microbiology, ileal morphology and ileal nutrient digestibility of laying Japanese quails was investigated in 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail that were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely random design with 4 replicates and 9 birds per each. The experimental diets were as follows: basal diet as control group (without additive), basal diet plus Oxytetracycline (200mg/kg), basal diet plus SWE (250mg/kg), and basal diet plus lactobacillus acidophilus (4. 02 × 1011 CFU per kg diet). Results showed that the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus increased the egg mass per hen-housed compared to control and SWE treatments (P<0. 05). The number of lactobacilli in the ileal digest was also significantly increased by Lactobacillus acidophilus and SWE treatments, when compared with control treatment (P<0. 05). In addition, birds fed with diets containing Lactobacillus acidophilus and Oxytetracycline showed a significant increase in villous height and villous height: crypt depth, when compared with those on the control diet (P<0. 05). It can be concluded that the use of Lactobacillus acidophilus as an alternative to antibiotics is more appropriate than SWE.

This study was conducted by 360 lying Japanese quail (6 wk old) in a 3*3 factorial arrangement (9 treatments and 5 replicates each) to investigate the effects of folic acid (0. 0, 4. 0 or 8. 0 mg/kg) and pyridoxine (0. 0, 0. 3 or 6 mg/kg) on laying performance and egg yolks 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate content. The results showed that folic acid or pyridoxine had no effects on feed intake, egg production, feed conversion ratio, yolk and white percentage, egg content weight and haugh unit of the eggs (P>0. 05). The 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate content of the eggs was affected by folic acid supplementation and it was increased from 808. 62 microgarm/g for control birds to 840. 84 and 1164. 77 microgarm/g respectivly for 4 and 8 mg/kg folic acid fed birds (P<0. 01). In conclusion, dietary supplementation of folic acid to lying Japanese quail diets had no effects on performance but consumption of 8 mg/kg folic acid increases the 5-methyl tetrahydrofolate content of yolk.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of Artemisia annua L. essential oil (AAEO) and probiotic (Lactobacillus acidophilus) on egg and carcass quality of laying Japanese quails. A total of 180 46-d-old female Japanese quail were randomly allocated to 4 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with five replicates and nine birds per each. The experimental diets were: 1) basal diet as control group (without additive), 2) basal diet plus oxytetracycline (200 mg/kg), 3) basal diet plus AAEO (250 mg/kg) and 4) basal diet plus probiotic (4. 02 × 1011 CFU Lactobacillus acidophilus per kg diet). Results showed that the use of probiotic caused to an increase in the cumulative egg weight and daily egg mass, when compared with control and AAEO treatments (P<0. 05). In comparison to control group, supplementing the basal diet with AAEO resulted in decreases on MDA level of egg yolk (P<0. 05) and liver weight (P=0. 06). In addition, the F3 and F2 follicles weights were increased when the basal diet supplemented with each of the feed additives (P <0. 05). It can be concluded that, Lactobacillus acidophilus can be used as an alternative to antibiotics for increasing the egg production, and AAEO can be used to produce healthy products in feeding laying Japanese quails.

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of different levels of probiotics and barley on egg quality and quantity, microbial population, intestinal morphology, immune response, and some blood parameters of Japanese laying quails. The experiment was conducted as a factorial 2x2 in the using 200 pieces of Japanese laying quail from the age of 45 days with 4 treatments, 5 repetitions, and 10 birds per repetition for 8 weeks. The experimental rations included two levels of barley (zero and 10%) and two levels of probiotics (zero and 150 g/ton). The addition of probiotics increased the amount of Haugh units and albumin percentage of quail eggs, and the addition of barley increased the amount of Haugh units . Quails fed with barley and probiotics showed higher egg weight and percentage of production, respectively . The height of the intestinal villi was lower at the level of 10% barley .The height and amount of the Lactobacillus population were higher and the crypt depth and Escherichia coli population was lower in the ileum of quails supplemented with probiotics . Based on the results of this research, adding probiotics to diets containing barley improved the percentage of egg production, HDL, and the number of Lactobacillus bacteria, and reduced serum cholesterol, the number of Escherichia coli bacteria, and the depth of intestinal ileum crypt. It can be suggested that supplementing 10% barley along with 150 grams of probiotics per ton of feed has beneficial effects on the performance of laying quails.

In order to evaluate the effect of alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal on performance and lipid oxidation of meat and egg of laying quails, 64 adult quails at 40-day of age were used. Forty-eight female and 16 male quails were used in three to one proportion in separate cages in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replicates of 4 birds in each. The experimental treatments consisted of control (containing soybean meal as protein source), and treatments containing 3%, 6% and 9% alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal, respectively. During the experimental period, egg weight, feed conversion ratio, egg mass, feed intake and egg production percentage were measured. At the end of the experimental period (82 day of age), two birds per cage were selected, slaughtered and the malondialdehyde content in fresh and stored meat and egg samples were determined. The results of this experiment showed that no significant difference was observed in feed conversion ratio, egg mass, feed intake, and egg production percentage (P>0. 05). The weight of egg in treatments containing 3% and 9% alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal was significantly (P<0. 05) decreased when compared with control and treatment containing 6% alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal in the whole experimental period. The malondialdehyde content of thigh meat and egg of laying quails was significantly (P<0. 05) decreased in groups fed alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal when compared to control treatment. The results of this study showed that the use of alkaline hydrolyzed feather meal up to 9% level had similar performance with soybean meal in terms of feed conversion ratio, egg mass, feed intake and egg production percentage and caused antioxidant protection in meat and egg of laying quail.

In the current study, the effects of quinoa seed treating on chemical compounds and anti-nutritional factors by four treatments:1)raw seeds, 2)seeds of soaken in 40ºCwater by ratio of1:10during 24 hours, 3)seeds of soaken in 1%acetic acid solution by ratio of 1:5during 24hours, 4)seeds of soaken in 1%sodium bicarbonate solution by ratio of 1:10during 24hours, in five replications and diets ileal digestibility in 240laying quails by six treatments: 1)corn-soybean meal without quinoa seeds based diet, 2)diet containing 10%raw quinoa seeds, 3)diet containing 10%quinoa seeds of soaken in 40ºC water, 4) diet containing 10% quinoa seeds of soaken in 1% acetic acid solution, 5) diet containing 10% quinoa seeds soaken in 1% sodium bicarbonate solution 6) diet containing 10% raw quinoa seeds supplemented with 0.05% Rovabio multi-enzyme in five replications, and eight birds per replication by a completely randomized design, were investigated. The soaking in 1% acetic acid solution significantly decreased the crude fiber of quinoa seeds (P<0.05). The soaking in 1% sodium bicarbonate solution significantly increased the crude ash and sodium of quinoa seeds (P<0.05). The lowest tannin and trypsin inhibitors in seeds of soaken in water 40ºC and the lowest saponin and phytic acid were in seeds of soaken in 1%acetic acid solution (P<0.05). Treating and enzyme supplementation, significantly increased the ileal digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, calcium, and phosphorus of the diet (P<0.05). Soaking quinoa seeds in 1% acetic acid solution by ratio of 1:5 during 24 hours was the best treating method.

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of two feed restriction program with and without probiotic on performance and egg traits of Japanese laying Quails. In the current study 216 quails were used from 6 to 14 weeks in 6 Treatments, 3 Replicates and 12 Quails in each replicate as a (3*2) include 3 diets (diet as NRC 1994 nutrient recommendation), diet with 7 hours feeding and 1 hour feed withdrawal and diet with 5% low nutrients than NRC 1994 nutrient recommendation and two levels of protexin probiotic in a completely randomized design. The results showed that time feed restriction caused the egg weight increased (P<0. 05). However the yolk index and eggshell percentage increased (P<0. 05). Whereas the nutrient restriction significantly reduced the values of egg percentage and egg mass, and increased the feed conversion ratio and reduced the egg shell thickness (P<0. 01). Using probiotic reduced the amount of daily feed intake of Quails (P<0. 05). The overall results indicated that in laying Japanese Quails in early laying period 5% nutrient reduction in contrast to NRC 1994 nutrient recommendation cause the performance reduce and not recommended, but with 7 hours feeding and 1 hour feed withdrawal program the egg weight increased.

In the current study, the effects of quinoa seed processing on performance, egg quality traits, antioxidant status and intestinal morphology of 240 laying quails by six treatments including: corn-soybean meal based diet, diet containing 10% raw quinoa seeds, diet containing 10% quinoa seeds soaked in 40ºC water, diet containing 10% quinoa seeds soaked in 1% acetic acid solution, diet containing 10% quinoa seeds soaked in 1% sodium bicarbonate solution, diet containing 10% raw quinoa seeds supplemented with 0.05% Rovabio multi-enzyme in five replications and eight birds per replication, were conducted in a completely randomized design. The raw quinoa seeds feeding decreased egg production, egg weight, egg mass, shell weight, white index, haugh unit, SOD enzyme activity and villus height compared to the control group (p<0.05). All methods of quinoa seeds processing and diet containing raw quinoa seeds supplemented with multi-enzyme caused a significant increase (p<0.05) in egg production, egg weight, egg mass, specific gravity, shell thickness, shell weight, white index and haugh unit compared to the raw seed group. Feeding acetic acid-treated quinoa seeds significantly increased egg production, egg mass, haugh unit, CAT enzyme activity, villus height and the villus height to crypt depth ratio compared to the raw seed and control groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, Soaking quinoa seeds in 1% acetic acid solution by ratio of 1:5 during 24 hours was the best treating method.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the probiotic effects of different concentrations of four selected native Lactobacillus strains on laying performance and egg quality parameters of quails. To do this, a six-week farm trial was performed in completely randomized design with seven different probiotic treatments of four replicates each consisting of eight quails, resulting in a total of 224 quails. Four native Lactobacillus strains whose probiotic potentials had previously been confirmed at in vitro levels were cul-tured in a 10 liter batch fermentor and lyophilized (1010 CFU/g). Treatments were as follows: T1: control (basal diet without probiotics); T2: basal diet + Primalac® (454 g/ton); T3: basal diet + Protexin® (50 g/ton); and T4, T5, T6, and T7: four native strains in levels of 50, 100, 150, and 200 g/ton diets, respec-tively. The native strains and Protexin® could significantly improve egg production, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and egg mass during the laying period (P<0. 05), whereas no significant effect was observed on feed intake and egg weight. The probiotic treatments had significant positive effects on the albumen height, Haugh unit, and internal quality unit (IQU) (P<0. 05), whereas there was no difference between the treat-ments in terms of egg shell weight, egg yolk weight, and egg albumen weight of the quails (P>0. 05). It can be concluded that the use of native strains (a 50 g/ton diet) improved the performance (egg production, egg mass, and FCR) and egg quality parameters (Haugh unit and IQU) of quails.