OPTIONS OF FEEDING MEALS FROM FLY PUPAE AND ALGAE TO JAPANESE-QUAIL

The effect of feeding meals made from fly (Musca domestica L.) pupae a nd dried algae (Chlorella) was investigated in adult Japanese quail wi th respect to their performance. The quails were divided into 6 groups with 28 birds each (Tab. I). Control group(I) received basic mash, wh ile groups II to IV received mash where a third, two thirds and all of fish meal (6%) were replaced by aliquot proportions of fly pupa meal. In groups V and VI meal from dried algae replaced 2% and 4% of soybea n meal. Tab. II shows the formulation of basic mash. Tab. III indicate s the content of basic nutrients in fly pupae and algae. The trial las ted 17 weeks (from 27 to 44 weeks of age). Tabs. IV and V show the ach ieved indicators of performance and egg quality. Fly pupae meal replac ed up to two thirds of dietary fish meal without any negative effect o n egg production and weight (P > 0.05). Replacement of all fish meal r esulted in retardation of egg laying and egg mass (P < 0.05). A decrea se in average egg weight (by 4.8%) was insignificant. The average weig ht of analyzed eggs corresponded to the total weight of produced eggs. A decrease in egg weight after replacement of all fish meal was due t o the lower weight and lower portion of albumen (P < 0.01). The yolk p ortion was significantly higher beginning the feeding of 4% content of pupae (P < 0.01). Pupae feeding increased egg shape index (P < 0.01), albumen index did not change. The yolk color was more intensive after replacement of all fish meal (P < 0.01). There was no significant dif ference in absolute feed intake when the fly pupae were fed. Feed conv ersion was worse by 6.8 to 10.5%, and the difference was significant o nly after replacement of a third of and all fish meal (P < 0.05). The highest live weight at the end of the trial was recorded in the quails of group III.M-4 (P < 0.05). The other groups did not show any signif icant differences. There were not any larger differences in quail mort ality. The increasing percentage of algae in feed mash decreased egg p roduction (the difference was significant only at a 4% replacement - P < 0.05), without any negative effect on their average weight. Algae f eeding (4%) reduced albumen weight and yolk portion and egg shape inde x (P < 0.01). The largest differences were recorded for the intensity of egg yolk color when the rising percentage of algae proportionally i ncreased the intensity of its color by 76.4% and 101.8% (P < 0.01). Fe ed intake per quail did not change to a greater extent while there was a trend of worse feed conversion by 2.0% and 3.7% (P > 0.05). The liv e weight and mortality of quail remained practically unchanged after a lgae feeding. It can be concluded that the meal from fly pupae can be fed as an aliquot two-third replacement of fish meal (4%) and the alga e meal as a replacement of soybean meal (4%) in feed mashes to adult J apanese quail without any negative impacts on their performance.