Effect of Riboflavin Enrichment of Quail Breeder Diets on Performance, Egg Quality and Hatchability Parameters

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of riboflavin enrichment to the diet on performance, egg quality and hatchability parameters in breeder quails. For this purpose, 80 female and 40 male quails (total 120) at 10 weeks of age were fed with diets supplemented with 0, 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg riboflavin for ten weeks. Each treatment group consisted of 5 replicates each containing 6 quails (2 males, 4 females). Riboflavin supplementation had no effect on the body weight, egg production, feed conversion ratio, egg quality parameters and hatchability parameters of male quails. Riboflavin supplementation significantly increased the body weight of female quails and average body weight. In addition, egg weight, egg mass and feed intake increased with riboflavin supplementation. Eggshell ratio was quadratically affected by riboflavin supplementation and was minimum at 4 mg/kg riboflavin supplementation and maximum at 8 mg/kg. According to the results of this study, it was observed that riboflavin supplementation to breeder quail diets did not affect egg quality and hatchability but was effective in improving performance parameters.