Effect of replacement of limestone powder with stone grit in diet on production performance and mineral retention in meat type Japanese quails

The effect of replacement of limestone powder (LSP) with stone grit (SG) was studied in Japanese quails for 4 weeks on production performance, cost effectiveness and mineral retention. In this study, 360 days-old chicks were randomly distributed to 5 dietary treatments with 6 replicates having 12 birds each in a completely randomized design. LSP was replaced with 2 mm and 4 mm sized SG at 50% and 100% level in the treatment groups, such that 100% LSP in T1 (control), 100% SG of 4 mm particle size in T2, 100% SG of 2 mm in T3, 50% LSP plus 50% 4 mm stone grit in T4 and 50% LSP plus 50% 2 mm SG in T5. Production parameters such as body weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, livability were recorded for four weeks. Metabolic trial was conducted to estimate the calcium, phosphorous and dry matter retention. Birds fed with 100% of either 2 mm or 4 mm stone grit (T2 and T3) resulted in significantly higher body weight and body weight gain as compared with only 50% replacement groups (T4 and T5), but did not significantly differ with the control (T1). Cumulative feed intake of birds fed with 4 mm SG (T2) was significantly higher than 2 mm fed birds (T3). But, feed efficiency, livability, feed cost per kg live weight, cost of production per kg live weight, calcium, phosphorous and dry matter retention per cent were not significantly different among the treatment groups. The study concluded that stone grit can efficiently supply calcium for proper growth of muscles and bones at par with the limestone powder in terms of body weight gain and feed efficiency. So, the limestone powder can be completely replaced by stone grit of 2 mm particle size in the diet of Japanese quails to get optimum production performance.