INFLUENCE OF FENUGREEK AND COPPER SULFATE LEVELS IN THE DIETS ON PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF LAYING JAPANESE QUAIL. By

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of fenugreek and copper sulfate supplementation levels and their combinations in diets on productive, physiological performance, lipids profile in blood, liver or yolk, fertility and hatchability of Japanese quail for a period of 7 weeks (from 8 to 14 weeks). A total number of 162 mature Japanese quail birds were used in this study. Quail birds were weighed and distributed randomly into nine experimental groups. The birds in each group were distributed to 3 replicates 6 birds each. The basal diet was supplemented with crushed fenugreek seeds (FG), copper sulfate (CS) and their combinations to compose nine experimental diets, namely as following: T1 (control, 0 additives), T2 (10g FG/kg feed), T3 (20g FG/kg feed), T4 (125mg CS/kg feed), T5 (250mg CS/kg feed), T6 (10g FG+ 125mg CS/kg feed), T7 (10g FG+ 250mg CS/kg feed), T8 (20g FG+ 125m CS/kg feed), T9 (20g FG+ 250mg CS/kg feed). The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Results showed that total and daily feed intake were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower for group fed 20g FG + 250mg CS/ kg feed (T9) and group fed 125mg CS/kg feed (T4) compared to control group. The results revealed that dietary treatments of group fed 250mg CS/kg feed (T5) improved significantly (P ≤ 0.05) feed conversion ratio compared to control group. While, group fed 10g FG+250mg CS/kg feed (T7) recorded worst feed conversion ration compared with control and other groups. Regarding egg production and mass, group fed 250mg CS/kg feed (T5) recorded a significantly (P < 0.05) higher in total egg number, daily egg number, total egg mass and egg weight compared to control and other groups. Egg quality traits, group fed 125mg CS/kg feed (T4) improved significantly (P < 0.05) the most egg quality traits such as egg shell weight, albumin, eggshell thickness and specific gravity compared to control group. In general, all egg quality characteristics were significantly (P < 0.05) improved for all treated groups compared to control group. Fertility and hatchability percentages were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in group fed 10g FG /kg feed (T2) and group fed 20g FG/kg feed (T3) respectively compared with control and other groups . Thermoregulation results showed that group fed 10g FG plus 250mg CS/kg feed (T7) recorded significantly (P < 0.05) lower values in cloacal and feather temperature compared to control group while group fed 20g FG+250 mg CS/kg feed (T9) improved significantly (P < 0.05) respiration rate compared to control group. Results of plasma total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL displayed that all treated groups were significantly (P < 0.05) lower in all above mentioned traits compared to control group which mean that FG and CS act as a good reducer for lipid profile in plasma. On the hand, all groups fed with CS even in combination with FG A. A. El-Shafei et al 910 recorded significantly (P < 0.05) higher in plasma copper and liver function enzymes (ALT and AST) compared to control and other groups. Total lipids, total cholesterol and LDL level in egg yolk showed that all treated groups were decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in contents of lipids, cholesterol and LDL compared to control group. In contrast, copper in egg yolk was significantly (P < 0.05) increased in all treated groups with CS and FG+CS compared to control and FG groups. Same trend was found with results of liver content of total lipids, cholesterol, LDL and copper. It can be concluded that using fenugreek and copper sulfate in quail diets improving productive and physiological performance of Japanese quail. Using levels of fenugreek in quail diets are much better to reduce biosynthesis of cholesterol and other lipid profile contents in eggs or in liver without any pernicious effects on quail production or