Abstract

A sixteen week trial was carried out to evaluate the laying performance and egg quality characteristics of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) fed diets supplemented with ascorbic acid (AA) and α- tocopherol (To). Five diets were formulated with diet 1 (control) containing 0%AA and 0%To. AA and To were included at two levels each in diets 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively (200, 300mg/kgAA, 15 and 30mg/kgTo). A total of 150 Japanese quails (point of lay) of six-weeks old were allotted to five dietary treatment groups of 30 quail birds each with three replicates of 10 birds per pen in a Completely Randomized Design. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous (22%CP). The birds were raised in cages under high ambient temperatures of 32.9 to 36.1°C for sixteen weeks. Water and feed were offered ad libitum. The effects of treatments on laying performance and egg quality parameters were found to be insignificant (P>0.05). Daily feed intake and cost per dozen egg were greater (P<0.05) for quails fed 300mg/kgAA than those fed other dietary groups but % egg production was not affected (P>0.05). Results of the present study indicate that quails appeared to exhibit some level of natural resistance to heat stress and therefore, dietary supplementation of quail diets with either AA and To was not necessary and not economically advantageous. Keywords: Ascorbic acid, egg quality, α-tocopherol, laying performance, Quails.