The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of energetic density reduction in diets in the performance of Japanese quail, keeping constant the metabolizable energy (ME) to nutrients ratio. A total of 400 Japanese quails with 155 g ± 5.5 g and 76 to 160 days old were distributes to a complete randomized experimental design with five energetic density, eight replicates and ten birds per experimental unit. Five energetic density in the diets was evaluated (2,900, 2,800, 2,700, 2,600, and 2,500 kcal ME/kg of diet) keeping constant the metabolizable energy to nutrients ratio. The birds were fullfed during all experimental period. It was observed difference for feed intake, feed conversion per egg mass and feed conversion per egg dozen related to energy level in the diet. However, the diets did not influence the intakes of energy, crude protein, lysine, methionine+cystine, threonine, egg production, commercial egg production, egg mass, energy efficiency per egg mass, energy efficiency per egg dozen, weight gain and quail viability. For Japanese quail in posture, diets with 2,900 and 2,800 kcal ME/kg provided better feed conversion per egg mass and feed conversion per egg dozen, respectively, when the metabolizable to nutrients ratio is kept.
Coturnix coturnix japonica; energetic reduction; quail nutrition; quail performnance
