EFFECTS OF AZOLLA ON GROWTH, CARCASS AND HEMATOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN JAPANESE QUAIL

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur to investigate the effects of Azolla on growth, carcass characteristics and hematologic parameters of Japanese quail. A total of 40, fourteen days old quails were assigned into four groups T0, T1, T2 and T3. Group T0 was considered as control, fed only with commercial quail ration. Groups T1, T2, and T3 commercial quail ration were supplemented with 3%, 5% and 7% Azolla respectively. Live body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics were observed and hematologic parameters were determined at the age of 21 and 42 days of quail. Live body weights were increased significantly (p<0.01) in all treated groups in compare to the control and the highest was found in the group T2 supplement with 5% Azolla .Feed consumption were more or less similar among the control and treatment groups. Feed conversion ratio were increased significantly (p<0.01) in all treated groups than the control. Dressing percentage, breast and thigh weights were higher among the treatment groups compared to the control and differed significantly (p<0.01). Liver and gizzard weights were non significantly increased in treatment groups. No significant (p>0.05) differences were observed among the groups for Total Erythrocyte Count, Packed Cell Volume, Hemoglobin concentration and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate values. But Total Erythrocyte Count, Packed Cell Volume and Hemoglobin values were determined slightly higher in treatment groups compared to the control. Whereas the Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate values were slightly higher in the control group. The present study reveals that the supplementation of 5% Azolla in the quail ration may be used to improve the performance in quail.