The effects of vitamin E and vitamin C on sexual maturity body weight and hatching characteristics of Japanese quails (Cotumix coturnix japonica) reared under heat stress

Abstract

Used were a total of 810 seven-day-old Japanese quails. The birds received a basal diet with three levels of two vitamins vitamin E (ROVIMIX (R) E-50 SD; stable source of vitamin E in feed, DL-alpha Tocopheryl acetate) 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg of diet, vitamin C (ROVIMIX (R) Stay-C 35; stable source of vitamin C in feed, L ascorbic acid) 60, 120 and 240 mg/kg of diet. Birds were reared at 33 degrees C during the treatment period (week 0 to week 16 of age). At weeks 15-16 eggs were collected from the pens and put into incubators. The highest mean sexual maturity body weight (SMBW) and egg weight (EW) values were determined in a combination of 240 mg of Vitamin E and 240 mg of vitamin C group. The effect of treatment groups on fertility (F) ratio was found to be significant (P <= 0.01). When the fertility ratios are compared both combinations of 240 mg of vitamin E and 240 mg of vitamin C group and combinations of 240 mg of vitamin E and 120 mg of vitamin C group had higher values than the other treatment groups. The effect of treatment on the hatchability of fertile eggs (HFE), hatchability of total eggs (HTE) and embryo mortalities were significant (P <= 0.01). Lower HFE was observed in a combination of 60 mg of vitamin E and 60 mg of vitamin C group.