Available phosphorus in diet of meat quail in the growth phase

SUMMARY This experiment was conducted to evaluate the requirement of available phosphorus (aP) for meat quails in the growth phase (22 to 42 days old). A total of 650 birds were used, the levels of available phosphorus distributed in randomized block in a factorial design 5 x 2 (levels of aP x gender) with six replications of 13 birds per pen. The available phosphorus levels were studied: 0.11, 0.21, 0.31, 0.41 and 0.51%. We evaluated the feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, the amount of calcium, phosphorus and tibia ash of birds. No effect (p>0.05) interaction between the levels of aP and gender or the isolated effect of gender. It was found that aP levels only affected the body weight gain of quail (p≤0.05) by aP studied. Except tibia ash all bone variables were influenced for interaction (p≤0.01) among the factors and gender. For quail females recommended level of 0.51% available phosphorus in the diet, given the best results, and for males was not possible to recommend a level of available phosphorus.