The relationship between the concentration of dry garlic powder (Allium sativum) in the diet and the variability of the manifestation of the main economically useful traits of quails

Quails are an attractive species that has some advantages over other species of poultry, namely high growth intensity and productivity, high reproduction rates, low feed consumption, low investment, and disease resistance. Phytogenic supplements are feed additives derived from plant raw materials, which mainly include natural compounds, herbal and plant extracts, and biologically active compounds that have the potential to improve animal health, productivity, and product quality. They are also commonly known as phytobiotics. Phytobiotics have demonstrated the ability to improve intestinal histomorphology and increase growth intensity, presenting a safer and more resistant option for the production of poultry products. One of the promising phytogenic additives in poultry feeding is garlic products. It is known that the addition of garlic products to the diets of poultry helps to increase the intensity of its growth, improve intestinal morphometry, productivity, and reduce the cost of production, modulation of immunity and hematological parameters, prevent bacterial and parasitic infections, and mitigate the impact of heat stress on the body. According to the results of the study, a strong direct proportional relationship was found, at the level of 0.71‒0.77 units (P < 0.001), between the concentration of garlic powder in the quail diet and the survival of the population and relative body weight gains. A significant direct proportional relationship, at the level of 0.58‒0.65 units (P < 0.001), was observed between the concentration of garlic powder in the quail diet and their body weight, average daily live weight gains, and feed consumption. While a significant inverse proportional relationship was observed between the concentration of garlic powder in the quail diet and feed consumption per 1 kg of body weight gain -0.59 units (P < 0.001). The obtained data show that the enrichment of the quail diet with garlic powder is significantly associated with an increase in such economically useful traits as the safety of the poultry population, live weight, average daily body weight gain, feed consumption, and, at the same time, a decrease in feed costs per 1 kg of live weight gain. In addition, a strong direct proportional relationship was found, at the level of 0.93 units (P < 0.001), between the content of garlic powder in the diet and the concentration of erythrocytes in their peripheral blood, a strong direct proportional relationship, at the level of 0.86‒0.87 units (P < 0.001), with the concentration of hemoglobin and hematocrit, as well as a moderate direct proportional relationship, at the level of 0.43 units (P < 0.05), with the concentration of leukocytes.