Assessment of the influence of oligosaccharides isolated from pea seeds on functional quality of quail

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on mature Pharaoh quail kept in cages with constant access to feed and water. The birds were divided into three feeding groups (two replications) of 48 female and 16 male birds each. Quail of the first group were fed a standard feed, those of group 2 and 3 received feed enriched with oligosaccharides at a dose of 0.4 g and 3 g, respectively. In the course of the experiment the following measurements were taken: bird weight, feed intake, egg laying capacity, egg weight, death rate, egg hatchability. Blood was examined for cholesterol and triglycerides, yolks for the protein and gammaglobulin level. The digestive tract was analysed for bifidobacteria counts. The oligosaccharide-enriched feed reduced the time of maturation, increased egg laying capacity and egg weight, and also decreased the consumption of feed per egg. No clear influence of the oligosaccharide supplementation was found as far as the blood cholesterol and triglyceride content was concerned and gammaglobulin in the eggs. The quail of the groups receiving oligosaccharides had lower bifidobacteria counts in their digestive tracts.