Research On Animal Production

     This experiment was conducted in order to compare the effects of different levels of humic acid and virginiamycin on performance and intestinal morphometeric parameters of Japanese quails. A number of 280 Japanese quails were allocated to 7 treatments with 4 replicates and 10 birds in each replicate in a randomized complete block design. Birds of group 1 as a control were fed by control diet. For 2 to 6 treatments, six levels of vermi-humus (0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1%) was considered and birds of treatment 7 were fed by 0.15% virginiamycin supplemented diet. The lowest and the highest feed conversion ratio was related to 0.6 % vermi-humus and virginiamycin, respectively. Dietary supplemention of different levels of vermi-humus did not influenced the small intestine absolute and it’s relative length. The longest villus height in duodenum, jejunum and ileum were observed in 0.6%, 0.4% and 1% vermi-humus, respectively and the shortest villus height in duodenum and ileum was related to birds that fed virginiamycin (P<0.05). Villus width did not affected by administered treatments. The crypt depth of duodenum and ileum was decreased in all experimental treatments in comparison to control group (P<0.05). The highest and the lowest villus index of three intestinal segments were related to 0.6% vermi-humus and control treatments, respectively. The duodenum and ileum villus surface area did not affected by experimental treatments,while the highest jejunum villus surface area was observed in 0.8 % vermi-humus. According to the positive effects of vermi-humus at level of 0.6 % on villus index and bird’s performance, this level can be used as an alternative to antibiotics that would improve intestinal villi of birds along with beneficial effects to human health and environment.