Acerola residue in feed for quails

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of the acerola residue in broiler quail diets on productive performance, carcass yield, intestinal biometry, and poultry economic viability at 42 days of age. Four hundred one-day unsexed European quail were distributed in a completely randomized experimental design with five inclusion levels (0.0, 3.0, 6.0, 9.0 and 12.0%) of residue of acerola, with eight replicates and 10 birds per experimental unit.No significant differences (P>0.05) were observed for weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, absolute weights and carcass yields, and noble cuts (chest, thigh and sobrecoxa). There was a linear effect (P<0.05) for absolute and relative weights of liver and gizzard. The intestinal biometry of the birds were not (P>0.05) influenced by the inclusion levels of the acerola residue. The acerola residue can be used as an alternative ingredient in European quails diets up to a 12% inclusion level, without compromising productive performance, poultry carcass yield and economic viability.