Abstract
Abstract
This study investigated how combined betaine and vitamin C supplementation affects quails’ productive performance in reduced floor space. In total, 256 laying quails aged 23 weeks (154.6±5.0 g) were arranged in a completely randomized design of factorial 2×2 with four replicates. The birds were allocated to 16 cages with two floor spaces consisting of 250 cm2, 222 cm2. They were fed a diet without (Control) or with supplementation of 0.12% betaine in combination with 250 mg/kg vitamin C (BV). The collected data were analyzed by analysis of variance and continued to Duncan’s test. Interactions occurred in egg production and egg mass. The lower floor space without BV supplementation decreased egg production, but lower floor space with BV supplementation enhanced egg production (p<0.05). Supplementing BV enhanced egg mass in each floor space (p<0.05). Reducing floor space did not influence feed intake (FI), egg weight (EW), protein efficiency ratio (PER), and energy efficiency ratio (EER). BV enhances FI, egg production (EP), EW, PER, and EER and reduces the feed conversion (FCR; p<0.01). Thus, combined supplementation of betaine and vitamin C improves quails’ performance in the tropics raised with reduced floor space.