Sodium levels in diet of laying japanese quails

The experiment was conducted to estimate the nutritional requirement of sodium (Na) for laying Japanese quails. Were used 245 Japanese quails, with 187 days old, weight of 189.4 + 6.1 g and egg production rate of 91.05 + 5.5%. Birds were distributed in a completely randomized design, consisting of five diets and seven replicates. Five experimental diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal, with five levels of Na (0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30%). Were examined: feed intake, egg production per bird day, egg production per hen housed, commercial eggs, viable eggs per bird day, egg weight, egg mass, feed conversion by egg mass and per dozen eggs, components eggs (yolk, albumen and shell), body weight variation, viability of birds and specific gravity. There were no differences (P>0.05) for all parameters studied. Symptoms of deficiency as inappetence, reduction in the growth rate and depraved appetite were not observed in this study, demonstrating that the lower level of Na used, 0.10%, was not adverse to birds. Supplementation of 0.10% Na in diet of the birds, corresponding to a daily intake of 26.1 mg / bird was enough to provide good performance and egg quality of Japanese quails.

本实验旨在评估产蛋日本鹌鹑对钠（sodium, Na）的营养需求量。试验共使用245只187日龄的日本鹌鹑，初始体重为189.4±6.1 g，初始产蛋率为91.05±5.5%。试验采用完全随机设计，设置5种日粮与7个重复组。5种试验日粮以玉米和豆粕为基础配方，分别添加0.10%、0.15%、0.20%、0.25%、0.30%共5个钠水平。本试验测定的指标包括：采食量、每只禽日产蛋数、入舍母鸡产蛋率、商品蛋数、每只禽日合格蛋数、蛋重、蛋总质量、按蛋总质量及按打数计算的饲料转化率、鸡蛋组分（蛋黄、蛋清与蛋壳）、体重变化量、禽只存活率以及鸡蛋比重。试验结果显示，所有测定指标均无显著差异（P>0.05）。本研究未观察到食欲不振、生长速率降低、异食癖等钠缺乏相关症状，表明本次试验所使用的最低钠添加水平（0.10%）对鹌鹑无不良影响。当日粮中钠添加量为0.10%时，每只鹌鹑每日钠摄入量为26.1 mg，即可满足日本鹌鹑获得良好生产性能与蛋品质的营养需求。