Effects of Spirulina (Algae) supplementation to Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) diets on growth performance and carcass traits

This study was conducted to determine the effects of spirulina (Sipurulina platensis) (SP) supplementation to quail ration on bird live weights. change in live weight, feed consumption. feed conversion ratio, carcass yield and serum biochemical parameters. A total of 220 Japanese quail chicks (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were used in experiments. There were 4 treatment groups including a control group with 55 birds in each group. Each group was divided into 5 sub-groups with 11 birds in each. Experiments were conducted for 35 days. Control group was fed with a basal ration. Treatment groups were fed with spirulina-supplemented (1, 2 and 4%) rations. Spirulina supplementations had significant effects on live weights. However, differences in live weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and carcass yields were not found to be significant. SP supplementation did not have significant effects on serum total cholesterol, glucose, protein, triglyceride and uric acid concentrations. Although different spirulina supplementations yielded similar growth performance and carcass traits with the control treatment, it can still be stated that such treatments slightly improved growth performance and carcass traits of quail.