Sodium levels for Japanese quail at initial phases

• Published in: Poultry science Vol. 91; no. 5; pp. 1128 - 1134
• Main Authors: Costa, F. G. P., Figueiredo-Lima, D. F., Lima, M. R., Pinheiro, S. G., Goulart, C. C., Silva, J. H. V., Baraldi-Artoni, S. M., Barreiro, F. R., Givisiez, P. E. N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford University Press 01-05-2012
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Coturnix - growth & development; Diet - veterinary; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Eating - drug effects; Energy Metabolism; Female; Sodium, Dietary - administration & dosage; Sodium, Dietary - pharmacology; Weight Gain - drug effects; bone trait; growth; mineral; nutritional requirement
• ISSN: 0032-5791; 1525-3171
• DOI: 10.3382/ps.2011-01762

ABSTRACT
The aim of this research was to determine the nutritional requirements of sodium for Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix Japonica) during the periods of 1 to 21 d and 22 to 40 d of age, as well as to evaluate the residual effect on egg production and densitometry bone traits from 41 to 63 d. Two experiments were developed. Experiment 1: 360 Japanese quail were used, from 1 to 21 d of age. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.06, 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, and 0.30%). Experiment 2: 240 Japanese quail were used, from 22 to 40 d. Treatments consisted of 5 sodium levels (0.04, 0.12, 0.20, 0.28, and 0.36%). In both experiments, weight gain, final weight, and feed conversion presented a quadratic trend, whereas water intake presented a linear trend. Treatments did not affect the densitometry of bone traits, although they presented a quadratic influence on tibia ash, calcium, and calcium:phosphorus ratio. Therefore, the nutritional requirement of sodium for Japanese quail from 1 to 21 d and from 22 to 40 d is 0.222% and 0.253%, respectively.