EFFECT OF SUPPLEMENTING DIFFERENT NON-CHLORIDE SODIUM SOURCES AND LEVELS ON PERFORMANCE OF GROWING JAPANESE QUAIL THAT FED DIETS VARYING IN THEIR PROTEIN CONTENT

The experimental work was conducted in Poultry Research Station, El-Azab, Fayoum, Egypt to study the effect of supplementation of different non-chloride sodium sources and levels with different levels of dietary protein on growing Japanese quail performance. The experiment was designed in a 2 x 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments with crude protein (CP) level, type and level of non-chloride sodium addition as the main effects. Corn-soybean meal basal diets were formulated with two CP levels (24 and 22%), two types of non-chloride sodium addition (sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)) and three levels of non-chloride sodium addition (0.00, 0.05 and 0.10%). According to the nutrient requirements of NRC (1994), the minimum dietary Na levels of all treatments groups were 0.15, and the Cl level of all diets were set to be 0.25% which were provided by supplemental level of sodium chloride (NaCl) at 0.35% to satisfy nutrient requirements. Then raising the sodium level above the minimum requirement by adding Na2SO4 or NaHCO3. These diets were fed from 10 to 38 days of age. The dietary amino acid levels were adjusted by adding DL-methionine and L-lysine-HCl. Results obtained can be summarized in the subsequent: Quails fed diet containing 24% CP supplemented with 0.10% sodium (Na) from NaHCO3 at dietary electrolyte balance (DEB) 301.4 mEq/kg had significantly higher values of live body weight (LBW) at 38 days and body weight gain during the period from 10-38 days. Quails fed diet containing 22% CP supplemented with 0.05% Na from Na2SO4 at DEB 253.0 mEq/kg had higher value of feed intake during the period from 10-38 days. Quails fed diet containing 22% CP supplemented with 0.10% Na from NaHCO3 at DEB 275.6 mEq/kg had the best values of feed conversion ratio, caloric conversion ratio and crude protein conversion during the total period, also, it had the higher value of performance index during the same period. Supplementation of different non-chloride sodium sources and levels with different levels of dietary protein had insignificantly affected blood parameters. Quails fed diet containing 24% CP supplemented with 0.05% Na from NaHCO3 at DEB 279.0 mEq/kg had higher value of carcass weight after evisceration%, besides, quails fed diet containing 22% CP supplemented with 0.10% Na from Na2SO4 at DEB 275.3 mEq/kg had higher value of dressing%. Birds fed diet containing 22% CP supplemented with 0.10% Na from NaHCO3 at DEB 275.6 mEq/kg had the best economical and relative efficiency values, followed by birds fed diet containing 22% CP supplemented with 0.05% Na from NaHCO3 at DEB 253.3 mEq/kg.