Response of two strains of growing Japanese quail ( Coturnix Coturnix Japonica ) to diet containing pomegranate peel powder

Four hundred and eighty 1-day-old Japanese quail chicks from white and brown strains, 240 birds from each strain, were divided into 4 treatment groups with 6 replicates each (10 birds/replicate). Both strains of quail were fed diets containing 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% pomegranate peel (PP) powder for a period of 42 days. Results revealed that the final body weight (BW), total feed intake (TFI), body weight gain (BWG), gizzard percentage, and eviscerated carcass weight of white growing quails were significantly ( P < 0.05) higher than the brown strain. Quail group fed with 6% PP powder had the highest ( P < 0.001) average final BW and BWG ( P < 0.001). The dietary PP powder at different levels significantly ( P = 0.032) decreased TFI, but had no significant effect on carcass traits except for the liver percentage. Quails fed diet 3% and 9% PP powder had significant ( P < 0.001) increased count of immune cells, and improved antioxidant potency. White quails fed diet 3% and 6% PP powder had greater expression of hepatic GHR gene. The expression of hepatic IGF-1 gene was significantly ( P < 0.05) higher for brown quails fed diet 6% and 9% PP powder. White quails recorded the highest value of total return (TR). Quails fed diet 6% and 9% PP powder significantly ( P < 0.001) recorded higher net return (NR) values. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of PP powder at levels up to 9% for Japanese quail strains improved the growth performance, increased antioxidant properties, enhanced hepatic gene expression, and did not show any adverse influence on carcass quality and blood indices of Japanese quail. Moreover, it increased the NR.