Productive performance, lipid profile, immunity, and antioxidant parameters of quail breeders fed low protein diets supplemented with different zinc sources.

The current study was conducted to study the impact of low-CP protein diets with different sources of zinc (zinc oxide-ZnO and zinc methionine-Zn-Met) on performance, lipid profile, immune and antioxidant parameters of quail breeders. A total number of 216 Japanese quail at 8 weeks of age were randomly distributed into nine (3 × 3) groups, with four replicates, each of six quails (four females and two males). Quails were fed three levels of CP (16, 18, and 20%) and three sources of Zn (0, 0.1 g ZnO, and 0.1 g Zn-Met/kg diets). No significant differences in daily feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and egg mass are due to the main effect of protein levels or zinc sources at all ages. Dietary CP (16 and 20%) in growing quail diets increased SOD and GSH, while IgG levels were improved by 18%. Finally, it can be recommended that 16% CP and zinc source (Zn-Met or ZnO) can maintain egg mass, as well as lipid profile, immunological and antioxidant parameters in Japanese quails breeders. This level (16% CP) is enough during the production stage and a valuable way for mitigating ammonia pollution and reducing feeding costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]