Sweet Potato Peel as Substitute Dietary Energy Source on the Early Laying Performance, Egg Quality Traits and Yolk Biochemical Composition of Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica Temminck & Schlegel, 1898)

Abstract

This study evaluated the potential of sweet potato peels from different varieties as substitute dietary energy in the early laying performance of Japanese quails. A total of 240 heads of ready-to-lay quails were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and were assigned to the following treatments; ACommercial feeds, B-Home-mixed ration with 10% NISC Sp-35, C- Home-mixed ration with 10% NISC Sp-36, and D- Home-mixed ration with 10% Sp Japonita. The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA for RCBD, and differences were determined using Tukey's Honestly Significant Difference Test (HSD) at p<0.05. The commercial diet improved hen-day egg production, FCR per dozen eggs, FCR per kilogram egg mass, and eggshell thickness. On the other hand, there were no significant differences (p>0.05) observed in egg weight, egg shape index, dry shell weight, yolk-albumen ratio and yolk total antioxidant activity. The yolk color score of HMR diets was significantly higher (p>0.05) and the yolk cholesterol deposition was lesser than those in the commercial diet. The financial analysis showed that the gross return was highest in the commercial ration. However, HMR diets performed better in terms of net income, return over feed cost, egg-to-feed price ratio, benefit-cost ratio, and return over investment.