Effects of noni leaf (Morinda citrifolia) extract on performance and egg quality of laying quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)
Asriani Hasanuddin, Rusdi Rusdi, Mulyati Mulyati, Fatmawati Fatmawati, Sri Sarjuni, Moh Basri, Mustafa and Ritha Rahayu Mashudie

Universitas Tadulako
Palu, INDONESIA

Abstract

Synthetic antibiotics are prohibited used in the animal diets, due to the negative impact on the intestinal microbiota and its residues in products can harm consumers. Many studies have been conducted to generate alternative feed additives, one category of supplementary feed is phytobiotics. Phytobiotics are derived from plants that have phytochemical elements and may elevate the performance of livestock by interfering the intestinal microbiota ecosystem, improving secretion of enzyme, developing intestine morphology and allowing improvement of nutrients absorption and therefore it is improving livestock health. The goals of study is to investigate the effects of using noni leaf extract (MC) on performance and egg quality. A hundred and sixty of laying quail, 12 weeks old, were randomly placed on five treatments and five replicates in eight birds per replicate. They were kept according to the standard management for seven weeks. The diat ingredients were corn, rice bran, soybean, fish meal, oil, minerals, methionine and lysine, mixed to achieve 20% of protein content. Treatments are basal diet only (M00), a basal diet+0.01% of MC (M01), a basal diet+0.02% of MC (M02), a basal diet+0.03% of MC (M03) and a basal diet +0.04% of MC (M04). Experimental diets and water were freely available. The variables are feed intake, daily egg production, FCR, and egg quality including egg weight, yolk index, albumin index, eggshell thickness and haugh unit (HU). Data were analyzed using ANOVA and the Duncan test for comparison. The results showed that inclusion of noni leaf extract in the diet had a non-significant effect on feed intake, daily egg production, and egg quality (P>0.05), but it improved eggshell thickness by 4.75% (P<0.05) and elevated HU value by 6.5% (P>0.05), and tended to improve FCR. In conclusion, addition of noni leaf extract (MC) in the diet may improve quail performance, and egg quality by enhancing the thickness of the eggshell.

Keywords: phytobiotic, noni, laying, quail, egg quality

Topic: Agriculture Productivity