Effects of Dietary Crude Protein Level and Stocking Density on Growth Performance, Nutrient Retention, Blood Profiles, and Carcass Weight of Growing-Meat Quails

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of stocking density on growing-meat quail performance (experiment I) and the effect of dietary crude protein (CP) levels and stocking density on growth performance, nutrient retention, blood metabolites, and carcass weight of growing-meat quails under high ambient temperature (experiment II). Three hundred and eighty male growing-meat quails were raised under 4 different stocking densities of 13, 17, 21, and 25 quails per cage (experiment I). Each treatment was performed in 5 replicates using a completely randomized design. In experiment II, 600 male growing-meat quails were assigned to 6 treatments (5 replicates) with 2 stocking densities (17 and 23 quails per cage) and 3 levels of CP (20, 22, and 24%) in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement. In experiment I, the growing quails raised at 25 birds per cage had lighter body weight (BW) and body weight gain (BWG) than those at 13 and 17 quails per cage (P<0.05). Linear reductions in BW (P=0.008), feed intake (P=0.033), and BWG (P=0.012) as increasing stocking density were detected. In experiment II, CP levels and stocking density had no effect on growth performance, nutrient retention, blood profiles, and relative carcass weight (P>0.05). However, a 20% CP level significantly increased CP digestibility and decreased uric acid concentration compared to 24% CP (P<0.05). Furthermore, increased relative breast weight was detected in the quails raised under a high stocking density (P<0.05). The growing-meat quails have enhanced growth performance at the density of 32.10 to 51.85 birds/m2. With a 20% CP diet, increased growth performance and CP digestibility were observed.