The effect of coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum L.) as diet ingredient on the performance of Japanese quail

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the potential of coriander seed as a natural growth promoting substance in quail nutrition. Five hundred and ninety four 3-day old Japanese quails were divided into six groups of 99 birds each and randomly assigned to six treatment diets. Four of the diets contained coriander seed at 0.5%, 1%, 2% or 4% levels of inclusion, one contained 10 mg of the antibiotic, avilamycin, per kg and a control group received no supplement. Effects on feed intake, daily live weight gain, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics of the birds were measured over a period of 42 days. After 42 days the highest feed intake was observed in the 4% coriander group. Birds receiving the diet containing 2% coriander seed showed the highest weight gain, followed by those receiving the diets containing 1% coriander seed, the antibiotic, the 4% and the 0.5% coriander seed. The control had the lowest weight gain. The feed conversion ratio over the experimental period was significantly better in the group receiving 2% coriander seed than in the other treatments. The highest carcass yield and liver weights were also recorded in the 2% coriander group, while the lowest abdominal fat percentages were present in the 1%, 2% and 4% coriander groups. These results suggested that coriander seeds could be considered a potential natural growth promoter for poultry, and showed the best responses at a 2% level of inclusion.

South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 35(4) 2005: 261-267