Phytase supplementation maintains productive performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical profile in Japanese quails fed phosphorus-reduced diet

This study aimed toinvestigate the effects ofphytase supplementation inphosphorus (P)-reduced diet onthe productive performance, egg quality, calcium (Ca) utilisation, and blood profile ofJapanese quails. Phytase breaks down phytic acid; thereby, increasing the availability ofits bound nutrients, enabling poultry tohydrolyse and utilise these nutrients effectively. Atotal of480 female Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica; 28-day-old and average body weight=94.3± 5.7g) were assigned tofour dietary regimens, each consisting ofsix replicates of20birds. The control diet (T0) contained 0.5% nonphytateP. The other experimental diets included:T1= comprising 0.4% nonphytatePsupplemented with 0.1% phytase equivalent to500 Phytase Unit (FTU)/kg; T2=comprising 0.3% nonphytatePsupplemented with 0.15% phytase equivalent to750 FTU/kg; and T3=comprising 0.2% nonphytatePsupplemented with 0.2% phytase equivalent to1000 FTU/kg. The addition ofphytase toP-reduced diets did not affect the overall productive performance inquails. Moreover, yolk weight increased by3.04% to10.5% (P=0.01) and the haugh unit increased by0.56% to1.11% (P=0.04) compared tothe control, whereas other quality traits, such asalbumen weight, albumen and yolk indices, and eggshell weight, thickness, and breaking strength, remained unaffected following the supplementation ofphytase inthe P-reduced diet. Additionally, anincrease inCaoutput ineggshells (5.26% to15.79%; P=0.14) and the ratio ofCaineggshells toCaintake (5.59% to16.47%; P=0.49) correlated with the increase inblood Ca levels inthe quails onthe P-reduced diet (P=0.16). Inconclusion, the addition ofphytase toP-reduced diets has proven effective inmaintaining the laying performance, egg quality, and blood biochemical profiles ofJapanese quails.