Assessment of effects of pomegranate seed oil on egg quality of Japanese (Coturnix coturnix japonica) quail

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pomegranate seed oil on blood parameters and egg quality of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). For this reason, a total of 120 mixed quails at 5-7-day ages were divided into 4 groups (30 quails in each group) and placed in cages. For the feeding study, feed supplemented with 1, 3 and 5% pomegranate seed oil and control feed with no oil addition were prepared, the trial lasted 12 weeks. Quail blood parameters, egg quality characteristics, fatty acid composition, mineral compositions and combustion energy values were determined. The supplementation of pomegranate seed oil in quail feed did not affect the physical quality parameters of the eggs significantly. The total saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids increased, while the monounsaturated fatty acids and total unsaturated fatty acids decreased. These results clearly demonstrated that supplementation of the quail diet with pomegranate seed oil increased total amount of CLnA and n-6 fatty acids in egg.