Effect of organic acid and enzyme supplementation in barley-based laying quail diets on performance, egg quality and bone characteristics

This study was conducted to determine the effects of organic acid and enzyme supplementation to barley-based laying quail diets on performance, egg quality and bone characteristics. In the study, a total of 112 quails were randomly distributed into 28 subgroups, with 4 female quails in each cage compartment. The trial lasted 56 days (8 weeks) and feed and water were given to the ad-libitum and a 16-hour/day lighting program was applied. In the experiment, barley-based control diet prepared according to the needs of laying quails (NRC, 1994) and 4 different diets to which 0.3% Na-formate, multienzyme (phytase (1000 ftu/kg)+endo-1,4 xylanase (1500 U/kg)+endo-1,4(3)beta-glucanase (2000 U/kg)) and 0.3% Na-formate+multienzyme were added, respectively, were used. The experiment was carried out in four different treatment groups according to a randomized plot experimental plan with 7 replications. While the effect of formic acid and enzyme addition to barley-based diets on the body weight and feed conversion ratio of laying quails at the end of the experiment was statistically significant (P<0.05), the effect on other performance, egg shell quality and tibia characteristics was statistically insignificant (P>0.05). The final body weight in the Control (K) group was significantly lower than the other groups. The feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in the K+NaF group than in the K and K+NaF+ENZ groups, while it was statistically similar to the K+ENZ group. According to the results obtained from the study, it was concluded that the addition of 0.3% Na-formate to barley-based laying quail diets could positively affect feed efficiency.