EGG QUALITY INDICES OF JAPANESE QUAILS FED PALM KERNEL CAKE

Abstract

Egg quality parameters were examined using two hundred uniform nine-week-old laying Japanese quails fed palm kernel cake. The quails were allotted into 5 sets of forty birds in four replicates in a six week trial. Palm kernel cake was used in the diets at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%. The outcome in this study revealed that the shell percentage, yolk-albumen weight, albumen weight, yolk height, color and yolk index were significantly different (p<0.05). Conclusively, laying Japanese quails could tolerate up to 40% palm kernel cake without deleterious impact on the shell percentage, albumen weight and yolk index, however, the yolk colour becomes lighter with increased palm kernel cake inclusion.