Casca de Sururu na alimentação de codornas de corte

Abstract

This experiment was conducted at the Center coturnicultura sector of Agricultural Sciences - UFAL and aimed to evaluate the replacement of limestone by shell mussels in quails diet on performance, carcass yield and bone bending strength during the period of 35 days. 400 European quails housed in cages of galvanized wire battery type were used. The basal diet (T1) was formulated based on corn and soybean meal, according to the nutritional requirements for quail during the growing period and recreates. For the other experimental diets, the calcium source traditionally used, the limestone was replaced by shell mussels in increasing levels of 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The design was completely randomized with five treatments, eight repetitions with 10 birds each. Statistically significant differences were observed (P>0.05) on growth performance, carcass yield and bone bending strength of birds. There was a statistically significant difference (P<0.05) for the variable bone bending strength for females quails and for the mean values between males and females when comparing diets containing limestone with those made with mussels bark as a source of calcium. The mussels bark can be used as a source of calcium by up to 100% replacement of limestone in feed for quail cutting from one to 35 days of age, without compromising production performance without affecting carcass yield and resistance to bending of the bones of European quail.