The effects of dietary eggshell with membrane and olive leaf extract supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics and some biochemical parameters of quails exposed to heat stress

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of eggshells with membrane (ESM), the eggshells with membrane that had absorbed olive leaf extract(ESM+OLE) and olive leaf extract (OLE) additives on the performance, immunity, and oxidant-antioxidant metabolism of Japanese quails exposed to heat stress. In the experiment, a total of 128 fifteen-day-old quails were divided into 4 groups with 4 replicates. The control group was fed with a maize-soybean based basal diet; the ESM group was fed with a basal diet supplemented with 2% ESM; the ESM+OLE group was fed with a basal diet consisting of 2% ESM and 200 ppm olive leaf extract and the OLE group was fedwith a basal diet supplemented with 200 ppm olive leaf extract. At the end of the study, carcass characteristics and blood parameters were determined. The highest daily body weight gain and the lowest feed conversion ratiowere observed in the OLE group (P