Effect of dietary inclusion of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) and black cumin (Nigella sativa L.) on performance, egg quality traits and egg yolk cholesterol in laying Japanese quails

An experiment was carried out for six weeks using eight weeks old one hundred eighty white feathered laying quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) to study their production performance, egg quality and egg yolk cholesterol content. The experiment was conducted following 2 x 3 factorial CRD wherein two spices (black cumin seed and fenugreek seed) were fed to each laying quails at three dietary levels (0, 1.5 and 3.0% of each spice) in combination. All the laying quails were distributed randomly into nine dietary treatment groups (T1 to T9) on the basis of similar egg production and body weight. Each treatment has five replications containing four birds/replication. A standard corn-soya meal based basal diet to meet NRC (1994) standard for laying quails was formulated. From the basal diet as maintained above, nine experimental diets (designated as T1 through T9) were formulated by adding desired levels of black cumin seed (BCS) powder and fenugreek seed (FGS) powder. No significant effect of black cumin and fenugreek were found on body weight change, feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Only inclusion of fenugreek seed powder at 3% level in the diet on fifth week significantly (P<0.05) improved egg production (%). Neither black cumin nor fenugreek either singly or in combination had any significant effect on egg weight, shape index, specific gravity and egg shell weight. Birds receiving 1.5% and 3% possessed thinner shell. Significantly (P<0.01) higher haugh unit of 62.14 was observed at 3% level black cumin fed for 6 weeks in Japanese quails egg as compared to control group while feeding fenugreek showed no significant difference on shell thickness and haugh unit of egg. In this interaction of dietary addition of black cumin with fenugreek Japanese quail in treatment 4 and treatment 5 at sixth week feeding had highest shell thickness of 0.222 mm. Both black cumin and fenugreek addition in diet had a highly significant effect in lowering egg yolk cholesterol (mg/g yolk) content in Japanese quail eggs. Diet having 3% black cumin and 3% fenugreek at 6 weeks feeding had highest egg yolk cholesterol reduction of 15.60 mg/g and 14.77 mg/g. There was no significant difference on production performance, albumen index, yolk index, yolk colouregg and yolk cholesterol content by feeding combination of black cumin and fenugreek in all test groups (T1 to T9). It can be concluded that feeding black cumin and fenugreek had no significant effect on production performance and some of the egg quality traits. However egg yolk cholesterol level was significantly reduced by feeding these two spices in laying Japanese quails.