Effect of Apricot Kernel Cake on Japanese Quail Performance

Effect of Apricot Kernel Cake on Japanese Quail Performance

The Quest for Sustainable Poultry Feed

The global poultry industry stands as a critical pillar of food security, providing an affordable and high-quality source of animal protein to millions. Its rapid expansion, however, is intrinsically linked to the availability and cost of feed, which constitutes up to 70% of total production expenses.

The primary ingredients in conventional poultry diets, corn and soybean meal, are not only expensive but also subject to volatile market fluctuations and compete with human food demands.

This economic pressure has catalyzed a paradigm shift in animal nutrition, compelling researchers to explore unconventional, locally available, and cost-effective feed resources that can sustain the industry’s growth without compromising animal health or productivity.

This search for alternatives is not merely an economic exercise; it is a strategic necessity for sustainable agricultural development. Agro-industrial by-products, often discarded as waste, represent a treasure trove of untapped nutritional potential.

Materials like oilseed cakes, fruit processing residues, and grain milling by-products can be transformed into valuable feed ingredients. However, their integration into animal diets is frequently hampered by the presence of anti-nutritional factors (ANFs), such as tannins, phytic acid, and glycosides, which can impair nutrient absorption, reduce feed intake, and negatively affect the overall Japanese quail feeding performance.

Overcoming Anti-Nutritional Hurdles

The successful utilization of these alternative resources hinges on the development of effective processing techniques to neutralize or eliminate harmful ANFs. Biological treatments, including fermentation and the application of exogenous enzymes, have emerged as highly promising, eco-friendly, and economically viable methods.

Fermentation, driven by beneficial microorganisms, can break down complex anti-nutritional compounds, enhance the release of bound nutrients, and improve the overall digestibility and palatability of the feed.

Similarly, enzyme supplementation can target specific substrates that the bird’s digestive system cannot break down, unlocking a greater portion of the feed’s energy and protein content.

Japanese Quail: A Model for Modern Poultry Research

Amidst this landscape, the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) has gained significant prominence as a model poultry species. Its small size, rapid growth rate, early sexual maturity, high rate of egg production, and remarkable resistance to common avian diseases make it an ideal candidate for both commercial farming and nutritional research.

These attributes allow for shorter experimental turnaround times and lower housing and feed costs compared to chickens, enabling scientists to efficiently evaluate new feed ingredients and strategies.

Improving the Japanese quail feeding performance is a key objective for maximizing its production potential. Researchers continuously investigate dietary modifications that can enhance growth rates, improve feed conversion ratios, and boost overall flock health.

The bird’s adaptability and well-documented nutritional requirements provide a reliable baseline for assessing the impact of novel feedstuffs.

Focus on Apricot Kernel Cake

One such novel ingredient is apricot (Prunus armeniaca) kernel cake, a by-product of the apricot oil extraction industry. This material is rich in crude protein (ranging from 40-50%), fats, and essential minerals, positioning it as a theoretically excellent substitute for soybean meal.

However, its practical application is severely limited by the presence of amygdalin, a cyanogenic glycoside. When ingested, amygdalin hydrolyzes to produce highly toxic hydrogen cyanide (HCN), which can lead to severe health issues and even mortality in animals.

The challenge, therefore, is to detoxify the apricot kernel cake to a safe level while preserving its rich nutritional profile. This is where processing technologies become critical.

By employing methods like fermentation and enzyme treatment, it is possible to degrade the amygdalin, thereby unlocking the full potential of this agro-industrial by-product for use in poultry diets.

Investigating Fermentation and Enzyme Treatment

This research focuses on a methodical approach to detoxifying and nutritionally enhancing apricot kernel cake for inclusion in the diet of growing Japanese quails.

The central hypothesis is that subjecting the kernel cake to solid-state fermentation (SSF) with Aspergillus oryzae and treating it with a tailored enzyme solution can significantly reduce its amygdalin content and improve its nutritional value, leading to enhanced Japanese quail feeding performance.

Solid-State Fermentation (SSF)

Solid-state fermentation is a biotechnological process where microorganisms grow on solid substrates in the absence or near-absence of free water. For this study, Aspergillus oryzae, a fungus widely recognized for its “Generally Regarded as Safe” (GRAS) status and its potent enzymatic capabilities, was selected. The fungus was cultivated on the apricot kernel cake substrate under controlled conditions of temperature, moisture, and pH.

This process was designed to allow the fungal enzymes to act directly on the amygdalin and other complex molecules within the cake, breaking them down into simpler, non-toxic, and more digestible compounds. The goal was to not only detoxify the cake but also to enrich its protein content and improve its amino acid profile.

Enzyme Treatment

In parallel, an exogenous enzyme treatment was developed. A specific enzyme, β-glucosidase, known for its ability to hydrolyze the glycosidic bonds in amygdalin, was applied to the apricot kernel cake. This enzymatic approach offers a more targeted method of detoxification.

The study aimed to optimize the treatment conditions—including temperature, pH, and incubation time—to achieve the maximum possible reduction in hydrogen cyanide levels. By breaking down the amygdalin before it enters the quail’s digestive system, the risk of toxicity is effectively neutralized.

The successful implementation of these detoxification strategies is a critical prerequisite for the subsequent feeding trials. The ultimate aim is to create a safe, nutritious, and economically viable feed ingredient that can partially replace conventional protein sources in poultry rations.

This research not only addresses the immediate challenge of high feed costs but also contributes to a more sustainable agricultural ecosystem by transforming a potential waste product into a valuable resource.

The findings hold significant implications for improving Japanese quail feeding performance and provide a scalable model for utilizing other challenging agro-industrial by-products in animal nutrition.

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EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF FERMENTED AND ENZYME-TREATED APRICOT (Prunus armeniaca) KERNEL CAKE ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING JAPANESE QUAIL (Coturnix coturnix japonica) | PDF

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Title: EFFECT OF DIETARY INCLUSION OF FERMENTED AND ENZYME-TREATED APRICOT (Prunus armeniaca) KERNEL CAKE ON PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF GROWING JAPANESE QUAIL (Coturnix coturnix japonica)
Researcher: Dr. MUZAMMIL ALI
Supervisor/Guide: Dr. TASAWAR HUSSAIN
Year of Completion: 2021
Institution: UNIVERSITY OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES, LAHORE