Laying Performance and Egg Characteristics of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Fed Diets Containing Mango Fruit Reject Meal

Aim: The experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of composite mango fruit rejects meal on the performance of laying Japanese quails.

Methodology: Mango fruit reject meal (MFRM) was included in laying Japanese quails' diets at 0.0, 40.00, 80.00, 120.00 and 160.00 g/kg respectively; 0.0 g/kg MFRM served as the control diet. One hundred and twenty (120) 51-day-old Japanese quails were randomly allocated to the five dietary treatments and replicated three times with each replicate having eight (8) quail birds in a completely randomized design and fed for 28 days.

Results: Proximate composition of MFRM showed that it has high soluble carbohydrate (810.10 g/kg); low protein (43.80 g/kg), fat and fibre. Growth in the laying phase and laying performances were not significantly affected. There were no significant differences among treatment groups for egg characteristics as well.

Conclusion: It was concluded that MFRM is a utilisable energy feedstuff in quail diets and should be included at 160.00 g/kg in place of maize. It was recommended that higher levels should be investigated.