Effect of Combined Vitamin C and Vitamin E Supplementation on Reproductive Performance and Hatching Rate in Japanese Laying Quail

Abstract

: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of vitE (Vitamin E) supplementation in combination with vitC (Vitamin C) on reproductive performance and hatching rate of Japanese quail at the age of 59-114 days. A total of 132 laying quails were arranged in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments and 4 replicates, each replicate being 9 female quails and 2 male quails at 59 days of age. The experimental treatments were as follows: control fed the basal diet (KPCS), E125C75 including KPCS supplemented with 125 mg vitE/kg feed combined with 75 mg vitC/kg feed and E125C125 including KPCS supplemented 125 mg vitE/kg feed combined with 125 mg vitC/kg feed. Research results showed that the highest WG (Weight Gain) was in E125C125 (30.32 g) and lowest in E125C75 (17.37 g). There were no statistically significant differences between treatments in terms of laying rate, feed conversion ratio, egg mass and egg weight. However, hatching rate and bodyweight of quails at 1 day of age were significantly different between treatments, the highest was E125C125 (74.37% and 7.43 g), followed by E125C75 (70.02% and 7.03 g) and the lowest was control (65.89% and 6.82 g). It can be concluded that E125C125 not only improved laying rate but also increased hatching rate and bodyweight of quail chick.