It was used 648 Japanese quails with 91.1% of egg production in a completely randomized experiment design with nine replicates and eight birds per experimental unit. The diets were evaluated in a 3 × 3 factorial scheme (food × feed formulation) through bird performance measures and egg quality. The interaction among alternative food and formulation influenced feed intake. Both performance and internal and external egg traits were not affected by food alternative. Weight gain, laying rate, egg average weight, egg mass, feed conversion per mass and shell percentage varied according to the formulation. Values of corrected apparent metabolizable energy of corn, sorghum, soybean meal and poultry by product meal, meat and fish bones determined in broilers and laying hens are not suitable for formulation of diets for Japanese quails.
Coturnix coturnix japonica; energy value; nutrition; performance
