Author(s)

PIEDAD YEPEZ-MACÍAS, JAZMíN SUAREZ-ORDOÑES, RONNY GAIBOR-CARVAJAL, MARIBEL AGUILAR-AGUILAR

Abstract

The present investigation was carried out in the Rio Verde parish, in Ecuador’s Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas province. The study aimed to evaluate the productive behaviour of quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) using a mixed meal of medicinal plant leaves as a phytobiotic additive to reduce antibiotic drugs and improve animal production. These diets were included at supplementation levels in different treatments (T): 0 (T1); 0.50 (T2); 1.00 (T3); 1.50 (T4) % of a mixed powder of medicinal plant leaves of Morinda citrifolia L. (noni), Psidium guajava L. (guava), Annona muricata L. (soursop) and Jatropha curcas L. (piñon de tempate), in a ratio of 40:20:20:20, respectively. A completely randomized design (DCA) was applied with four treatments and five repetitions, including eight birds per repetition (160 quails in total with eight days of age). The research project lasted six weeks, in which feed intake (g), weight gain (g), feed conversion, carcass yield (%), morphometric measurements, mortality and economic analysis were evaluated. The results obtained reflect that the productive parameters were not affected by this meal. However, statistical differences were found in weight gain, registering 146.18 g for T1. Regarding feed conversion, the lowest value was obtained by T1 (6.72), and the highest value was T2 (9.00). On the other hand, the gastrointestinal tract of the quail was not affected by the addition of this phytobiotic in terms of its size. In the economic return, T2 obtained 17.77% with a cost–benefit ratio of USD 1.18, referring to the fact that we will earn 17 cents for every dollar invested. It is concluded that no effect was found in production parameters and morphometric measurements since adding medicinal plant leaf meal to the diet do not affect production parameters and measurements.

Keywords

probiotic, productive performance, profitability, phytobiotic additive