1. Miss. Jaruwan Jantaramanee
The researchers
Mr. Chanon Komkim
Miss. Jaruwan Jantaramanee

3. (Coturnix coturnix japonica)
Study on the use of Spirulina on growth performance and Cost production of Japanese Quail
(Coturnix coturnix japonica)

4. Adviser
Mrs. Wallaya Joomee

5. Background of the study
The recent trend in the feed business is currently directed toward the use of natural ingredients as alternatives to antibiotics, synthetic colors, and other chemicals. Spirulina (blue-green alga) is one of the high quality natural feed additives that can be used in animal and poultry nutrition. The Spirulina have been used as a food source for humans for hundreds years ago due to the excellent nutritional profile and high carotenoid and protein (between 55-65%) includes all of the essential amino acids (Bourges et al., 1971; Anusuya Devi et al., 1981).  However, published data could not be found on the growth performance of the quail. This study was conducted to determine the effects of Spirulina on live weight, growth performance, feed consumption, feed efficiency and cost production of the quails.

6. Nutritional profile of Spirulina
Spirulina is a type of blue-green algae that is rich in :
Protein : between 55-65% (Bourges et al., 1971)
Source of essential amino acids (Anusuya Devi et al., 1981, Ciferri, O 1983)
Rich source of Vit.A. (Al-Batshan et al. 2001)
Nutritional profile of Spirulina

7. Material and Methods
One hundred and forty four one-day-old quail chicks of mixed sex (as hatched) were assigned randomly to 4 treatments, with four replications of 12 birds per group. Average bodyweight were 8.64 ± 0.04 g/chick.
Experimental feed was concentrate feed (38% protein) mixed with broken rice =1:1
(by weight)

8. 60 Watt Lamp
Weighing scale
Feeder and Waterers

9. Experimental feed (23%Protein)
Experimental cages
Recording equipments

10. Spirulina preparing Fresh Spirulina 300 g
Fermented with brown sugar 100 g
Coconut juice 1.5 L
Mixed well all ingredients for 3 wks

11. Experimental design
The designs was used as 4 treatments, with 4 replications of 12 birds per group as follow:
Treatment CC
Treatment CC / 10 kg. feed
Treatment CC / 10 kg. feed
Treatment CC / 10 kg. feed

12. Result and discussion

13. Final weight (g/bird)
g/bird
Spirulina level

14. Spirulina level

15. Spirulina level

16. %
Spirulina level

17. Cost Production Efficiency
Baht
Spirulina level

18. Conclution

19. The quails were fed with a basal diet as a control and 3 levels of fermented Spirulina with 300, 600 and 900 CC / 10 kg. feed. Diets were fed to the birds from one-day-old to 35 days of age. Quails fed with Spirulina treatment displayed better final weight. Feed intake decreased with the Spirulina treatment compared to the control diet. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed efficiency with the Spirulina inclusion diet showing a better result than the control. Therefore, the result of this experiment suggests that diets up to 900 CC / 10 kg. feed of fermented Spirulina achieve the best live performance. Feed cost was also affected by the Spirulina inclusion in the diets. However, the range for optimum inclusion of Spirulina was observed to have a positive effect on the growth performance and cost production. Inclusion of Spirulina up to 900 CC / 10 kg. feed is recommended.

20. Thank you for attention.