Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Abstract

The aim of this study the effect of vitamin E, selenium or both of them /or selenium supplementation on productive and physiological traits of quail fed high fat diets. Three hundred unsexed one day old coturnix japonica quail chicks were used in this study. Chicks were reared in cages placed in semi-opened houses and provided with suitable environmentally conditions. Birds were randomized into four treatments each with three replicates (twenty-five birds in each). Two diets starter and finisher containing 3% fat as a source of energy were used until marketing age (42 days). Feed and water were available ad libitum. The experimental treatments were as follows: T1 standard ration (control), T2 standard ration supplemented with 200 mg vitamin E/kg ration, T3 standard ration supplemented with 0.3 mg sodium selenite/kg ration and T4 standard ration supplemented with 200 mg vitamin E/kg and 0.3 mg sodium selenite/ kg ration. Rations supplemented with vitamin E, sodium selenite or their combination caused a significant increase in average live body weight, weight gain, significant decrease in feed consumption, blood glucose concentration, heart glycogen concentration and ALT, and AST enzymes concentration, significant improvement in feed conversion ratio was noted in birds fed these diets. No significant differences in average feed passage time in the digestive tract, triglycerides, albumin, globulin, total protein, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells account, dressing percentage, liver glycogen concentration and mortality rate were observed among treatments.