Volume 15, Issue 1 (4-2024)
Res Anim Prod 2024, 15(1): 73-82 |
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Rashidi A, Sharifi S D, Alizadeh Masoule A R, Najafi A. (2024). Effect of Different Levels of Digestible Valine in Low Protein Diets on Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Liver, and Magnum Histology in Growing Japanese Quails. Res Anim Prod. 15(1), 73-82. doi:10.61186/rap.15.43.66
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1395-en.html
URL: http://rap.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-1395-en.html
1- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
2- Department of Embryology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
Abstract: (1371 Views)
Extended Abstract
Background: Japanese quail has a rapid growth rate (3 to 4 generations per year) and is relatively resistant to many diseases. Due to its high productivity, it has gained importance as an animal model in biological and genetic studies worldwide. Nutrition is a key factor affecting production efficiency in quails. Japanese quails require a diet that contains high-quality protein and a balanced profile of amino acids. Among the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), valine is often a limiting amino acid in corn-soy-based diets. Protein is the most expensive component of the diet and significantly impacts production costs in poultry. Currently, reducing the protein level in the diet has garnered attention for cost reduction in farming and for mitigating environmental pollution resulting from ammonia emissions and nitrogen excretion in the poultry industry. However, reducing the protein level in the feed without proper supplementation of amino acids can lead to decreased feed intake, reduced production levels, and changes in social behavior among birds. Published reports indicate that adding crystalline amino acids to low-protein diets in meat birds can yield performance similar to that of high-protein diets at different growth stages. In most cases, valine becomes limiting when protein levels in the diet are reduced. Considering the important metabolic roles of branched-chain amino acids, especially valine, in rapidly growing birds, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of diets containing different digestible valine levels on performance, growth traits, and the histology of the liver and magnum in Japanese quails during the growth period.Methods: All experimental procedures for the care and use of animals in this study were approved by the Animal Care Committee of the University of Tehran. A total of 1,000 one-day-old quails were assigned to five dietary treatments, each replicated five times with 40 birds per replicate in a completely randomized design, during the 1–42 days of age. Experimental diets were formulated to meet the nutrient recommendations for growing quails, with different levels of dietary digestible valine concentration (0.75%, 0.85%, 0.95%, 1.05%, and 1.15%) in diets with low protein (17-17.7% protein). The experimental diets provided 2.9 kcal metabolizable energy per gram. Other nutrients were formulated based on the recommended nutritional requirements for growing quails. The experimental diets were adjusted for two age periods: 1-21 days and 22-42 days. The birds received 24 hours of light until three days of age, followed by 23 hours of light and one hour of darkness daily. The parameters investigated included growth performance, feed consumption, conversion ratio, and carcass performance. Bird weights were measured at the beginning of the experiment and on days 21 and 42. Feed consumption on days 21 and 42 was calculated based on the difference between the amount of feed provided and the remaining feed, with the weight of dead birds used to correct feed consumption. On day 42, one male quail and one female quail were randomly selected from each replicate and slaughtered after 6 hours of starvation. Additionally, liver and magnum tissues were sampled, and their histomorphological characteristics (nuclear diameter of hepatocytes, diameter of sinusoids in liver tissue; epithelial height, inner muscle thickness, outer muscle thickness, gland diameter, and gland depth in magnum tissue) were investigated.
Results: During the breeding period, quails receiving diets containing 0.95% and 1.05% digestible valine exhibited higher body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), respectively. Feed intake (FI) and mortality were not significantly affected by the treatments. Dietary treatments did not significantly affect carcass characteristics in either males or females; however, carcass yield was higher in male quails, while the relative weight of breast and intestines was higher in female quails. In treatments containing 1.05% and 1.15% valine, the diameter of liver cell nuclei and hepatocytes was greatest, indicating potential liver damage. The volume of sinusoids in female birds increased with higher valine levels in the diet, such that birds receiving diets with levels above 0.95% had greater volumes than those fed with rations containing 0.75% valine. Based on the results, different levels of valine in diets containing 17% crude protein significantly affected the histology of the magnum tissue (epithelial height, inner muscle thickness, outer muscle thickness, gland diameter), although only the depth of the glands showed a tendency toward significance with 0.85% valine.
Conclusion: The results indicate that increasing the level of digestible valine in low-protein diets up to 0.95% improves growth performance and feed conversion ratio in growing quails. However, it appears that using high levels of digestible valine in low-protein diets (greater than 0.95%) may lead to tissue damage in the liver and negatively affect growth performance. Further studies are recommended in this area.
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