Abstract:

The study conducted to determine effect of clinoptilolite supplementation to the Japanese quail diet on growth performance, carcass traits and some serum parameters. Two hundred seventy-two, one day old Japanese quail chicks were divided into four main groups each containing 68 chicks, each main group divided into four subgroups which is containing 17 chicks. A basal starter diet for 1th -21th days and a grower diet for 22th-42th days prepared for quails. One of the groups was fed these basal diets (Control) during the study; the other groups were fed with the same basal diet, additionally their diets replaced with %2, 4 and 6 clinoptilolite. At the end of the research, there were no differences on live weight, live weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion ratio among the groups. There were no statistical differences in carcass parameters but leg ratio significantly higher in the Control group than those of the Trial II and Trial III groups and the wing ratio also higher in the Control group than all trial groups. There were no differences on serum alkaline phosphatase, total protein, triglyceride, cholesterol, sodium, chlorine and potassium concentrations among the groups. In conclusion, it is established that addition of 2% clinoptilolite to the quail diet did not affect growth performance and blood parameters, decreased wing ratio, addition of 4 and 6% diet did not affect growth performance and blood parameters, but decreased leg and wing ratio

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