Abstract
This study was undertaken to investigate the performance, carcass characteristics, and economic viability of diets including pasta waste in meal form (PWM) for quail. A total of 450 unsexed meat quail (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) were distributed into five treatments (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% inclusion of PWM) in a completely randomized design with six replicates, each with 15 birds. The following rearing periods were evaluated: Phase 1 - 1 to 21 days; and period of 1 to 42 days. In Phase 1, the PWM levels did not influence feed intake (FI), and the PWM inclusion levels for optimal weight gain (WG) and feed conversion (FC) were estimated at 20.70% and 22.8%, respectively. In the cumulative period of 1 to 42 days, the PWM levels did not lead to differences in FI, WG, or FC. The yields of carcass and cuts were not influenced by the treatments; however, abdominal fat yield decreased as the PWM levels in the diets were increased. Economic analysis showed a reduction of the feeding cost in the studied phases. Pasta waste meal can be included up to the level of 40% without incurring losses in the performance or carcass yield of meat quail.
Key words
alternative feedstuff; by-products; carcass characteristics; economic analysis; performance