Planos nutricionais para codornas japonesas alojadas em diferentes temperaturas

Abstract

The objective was to evaluate the effect of different nutritional plans and temperatures for Japanese quails from one to 39 days of age. A total of 576 one-day-old female Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) with an average initial weight of 7.51 ± 0.75 g were used. The treatments were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial scheme (three nutritional plans x two temperatures), with 12 replications of eight birds per experimental unit. At eleven days of age the birds were transferred to two climatic chambers (25º and 35ºC ± 2 °C). The nutritional plans were: PN1 - offering two diets, one from 1 to 21 days and the other from 22 to 39 days (Silva and Costa, 2009); PN2 - offering two diets, one from 1 to 14 days and the other from 15 to 39 days (Rostagno et al., 2017); PN3 - offering a single diet in the period from 1 to 39 days (Silva and Costa, 2009). The variables evaluated were: performance, carcass characteristics, economic viability, in addition to curves and body growth rates, carcass, prime cuts, feathers and edible offal, using the mathematical model of Gompertz. There was an effect of nutritional plans, ambient temperatures and interaction of these factors on performance. PN1 promoted lower feed intake and better feed conversion, not differing from PN3 in terms of weight gain. Quails kept at 25ºC showed better feed conversion and gizzard weight; and higher feed intake and weight gain. PN3 provided greater financial return in both creative environments. Quails fed with PN3 also showed higher values in the curve and growth rate of body, carcass, thigh+drumstick and feathers. Quails reared at 35°C had a lower maturity rate. In birds kept at 25ºC, there was a higher growth rate and breast weight in quails fed PN3, and those fed PN1 had higher weight of thigh+drumstick and feather weight. Japanese quails fed with nutritional plan 3, housed at 25 ºC, present higher productive performance, growth curves and financial return, without compromising carcass characteristics from one to 39 days of age, being also the most suitable nutritional plan for quails kept in 35ºC.