Scrutinization of Dried Bakery Waste as Maize Substitute in Quail Ration by Evaluating the Growth and Nutrient Utilization

Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) is the latest domesticated poultry species, which is originating from the wild Japanese quail (Lukanov et al., 2021). It is called “Bater” in the local dialect. It is a hardy/robust bird, i.e., disease resistant and requires no vaccination/medication in comparison to rest of the poultry species (ICAR, 2013). It is a commercially feasible choice, with a shorter life span/generation interval (3-4 generations/year) and quick/earlier returns. Its marketable age is approximately 5-6 weeks, has low volume/weight and attains early maturity (Khan et al., 2022). Quail requires less feed (20-25 g per day), besides its floor space requirement (0.20 ft2/adult quail) is also nominal (Sakamoto et al., 2018). Its meat is more flavourful and fetches more price than chicken meat. Now a days, its meat is considered as delicacy, contains less fat/cholesterol (Qi et al., 2018) and has superior protein of high biological value (Agina et al., 2017). Quail use as human food is documented in different religious scriptures and is mentioned in Holy Quran (1500 years ago), the Bible (Exodus 16:13; Deuteronomy 6:12), the Torah (Holy book of Jews) and even in Egyptian murals and Roman writings (Hasan, 2014).
       
Feeding is the most significant aspect of quail production. Its diet is primarily maize-soya based and almost 60-70% of the bird requirement is for cereals (energy source), particularly maize, which not only enhances competition between humans and poultry species, but also escalates cereal grain rates (NRC, 2011). Thus, there is a dire need to look for alternative energy sources to decrease the feed cost. Numerous research trials have used non-conventional feedstuffs, proving them to be viable substitutes for maize in poultry diets (Shittu et al., 2016; Edache et al., 2017; Epao et al., 2017).
       
Among different unconventional feeds, BaW is rich in non-fibrous carbohydrates and is considered under energy source (Al-Tulaihan et al., 2004; Al-Ruqaie et al., 2011). Its protein and amino acid profile is comparable to maize (10.80% CP, 0.27% lysine and 0.10% tryptophan), although the fat % is higher (11.00% for bakery waste vs. 4.08% for maize; Tiwari and Dhakal, 2020). As wheat flour is the basic ingredient in all bakery items, bakery meal is usually rich in starch, which is highly digestible. Also, its nutritional value is high as the product is prepared by thermal treatment. BaW comprises of unsold and outdated bakery products, stale dough and other items which can be dried/dehydrated. These dried products can, in turn, be used as animal feed/maize substitutes, thus besides reducing wastage and assuaging environmental concerns, they can also reduce the dependency on cereal grains, particularly maize (Epao et al., 2017; Penkov and Chobanova, 2020). The dried bakery products were available at throw-away prices throughout the country as leftover of bakery products were not used for human consumption Ayanrinde et al., (2014) and are comparatively more economical than maize (Troung et al., 2019).
       
Earlier researchers recommended that bread bakery waste/bakery waste can be utilized in poultry diets without compromising growth, feed intake, or feed efficiency Catala-Gregori et al., (2009); Olafadehan et al., (2010); Edache et al., (2017) and may replace maize at various levels (Al-Ruqaie et al., 2011; Shittu et al., 2016; Edache et al., 2017). But, there is a paucity of information in evaluating the nutritional composition of BaW of the Jammu region. Moreover, its usage in the quail ration as a maize substitute is also scanty to the best of our knowledge. Thus, the present study was carried out to study the effect of BaW-containing ration on performance, nutrient utilization and cost economics in meat quail.

The present experiment was carried out on three hundred-day-old quail chicks (purchased from Cheema Farms, commercial hatchery, Jammu, J&K) for 42 days at the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, R.S. Pura. These chicks were divided randomly into five dietary treatment groups and there were four replicates of 15 quail chicks in each treatment group (n=60 quail birds per group). The ingredient composition of the quail starter (0-21 days) and quail finisher (22-42 days) diet was prepared as per the standards of ICAR (2013) and is presented in Table 1. The proximate ingredient composition is depicted in Table 2. Birds of the control group (T₀) were offered a mash diet made up of maize and soybean as principal ingredients, whereas in T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ groups, maize was swapped with bakery waste @ 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively. An adequate quantity of fresh/clean drinking water was provided to the birds during the experimental trial.
 

 

 
Source of BaW
 
BaW was collected from the Bonn bread factory, positioned at Paloura in the Jammu region of J&K Union Territory. The collected lot was cleaned and dried in the sun, followed by grinding before incorporating it into the quail diet.
 
Different parameters measured during the trial
 
Feed intake, weight gain and water intake were recorded at weekly intervals. Also, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) were calculated weekly. After four weeks of the experimental trial, a metabolism trial of four successive days was also conducted in cages. Two birds per replicate, i.e., eight birds from each treatment unit, were used for this trial. Samples of feed offered, residual feed and faecal dropping of four successive days after oven drying was thoroughly mixed, powdered and estimated for proximate analysis as per AOAC (2012). Apparent digestibilities of nutrients in all experimental groups were noticed by adopting the above-mentioned method. Cost economics was also calculated for the said trial.
 
Statistical analysis
 
The statistical analysis and interpretation of data was done through SPSS software package Ver 16.0. The data generated during the experiment was analyzed by using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) as per the method described by Snedecor and Cochran (2004). The mean of different treatments was subjected to Duncan’s multiple range test (1955).

The results of the current trial revealed no effect of maize replacement with BaW on weekly FI and showed no substantial difference throughout the experimental trial (Table 3). These results showed similarity with the findings of previous researchers who substituted maize flakes with different inclusion levels of BaW either in quails Edache et al., (2017); Lukanov et al., (2021) or in other poultry birds (Epao et al., 2017; Al- Sagan et al., 2021). But opposite to our results, some authors reported an increase Madiya et al., (2005); Shittu et al., (2016) while others reported a decrease (Oke, 2013) in weekly FI after inclusion of BaW at different levels. However, while substituting maize flakes with BaW, some researchers reported inconsistent FI patterns (Ayanrinde et al., 2014; Chauhan, 2021). The differences observed in the present trial may be attributed to the different species of poultry as well as different sources, types, compositions and treatments of BaW used. These mentioned reasons might be responsible for the variation found between our study and the above-cited trials.
 

       
The weekly BW, as well as BWG, did not show any inclement effect of BaW inclusion at different levels as maize replacers (Table 4 and 5). As reported in our study, non-significant findings have been reported earlier also by many authors (Epao et al., 2017; Al-Sagan et al., 2021; Chauhan, 2021). However, significant differences in BW and BWG were observed by some researchers on using BaW as a maize replacer at varying levels (Oke, 2013; Shittu et al., 2016).
 

 

       
Likewise, weekly average FCR (realized by dividing FI with BWG) and PER (calculated by dividing PI with BWG) were not affected significantly, irrespective of different levels of BaW used as maize substitute (Tables 6 and 7). But periodically, there is an increase in FCR from week 5 onwards; suggesting that raising meat quail birds after five weeks of age is uneconomical. Our results corroborates with the findings of different prior researchers who too reported similar findings in their respective studies (Edache et al., 2017; Epao et al., 2017; Al-Sagan et al., 2021; Lukanov et al., 2021). However, some authors reported results contradictory to that of the present study (Oke, 2013; Ayanrinde et al., 2014; Chauhan, 2021). The disparity of results in this study may be credited to the different BaW (source/type/composition) used.
 

 

       
The effect of the replacement of maize with BaW (up to 20% level) on nutrient intake and metabolizability is shown in Table 8 and Table 9, respectively. The FI, dry matter intake (DMI) as well as intake of different nutrients remained unaffected during the metabolism trial. Also, metabolizability of different nutrients viz. DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE (%) estimated during this trial was not influenced. It may be inferred that BaW inclusion had no impact on digestive enzymes as well as intestinal integrity, which might be responsible for similar metabolizabilities of different nutrients. The results of the present study match with the findings of Shittu et al., (2016) who reported that biscuit dough (BD) inclusion in the broiler diet up to 15% level had no significant effect on the digestibilities of CP, CF, EE and TA except DM and NFE digestibilities. Likewise, Al- Ruqaie et al., (2011) reported similar apparent nitrogen retention (%) and nitrogen-corrected metabolizable energy (kcal/kg) on replacing maize with BaW up to 100% levels in broiler ration. The feeding of isocaloric and isonitrogenous diets resulted in similar BWG and FI. Also, the intake of quail birds was far less than that of other poultry birds, which might have resulted in a comparable intake of nutrients and their digestibility.
 

 

       
The cost economics evaluated on substituting maize flakes with varied levels of BaW meal in quail ration is summarized in Table 10. There is a decrease in per kg cost of both starter and finisher feed with the linear increase in BaW meal inclusion in quail ration. But as the FI was higher in BaW meal-fed treatment groups, it resulted in the comparable cost of starter feed, finisher feed as well as the total cost of feed. Noticeable reduction in the cost of total feed in broiler birds on increasing the levels of BaW inclusion as maize replacer was reported earlier by some researchers (Al-Ruqaie et al., 2011; Al-Sagan et al., 2021). Similar to our study, some authors reported a non-significant difference in the feed cost reduction per bird while using BaW as a maize replacer (Oke, 2013; Epao et al., 2017; Chauhan, 2021). The total input cost after including chick, litter and feed costs was Rs. 3010 and 2999 in T₁ and T₂, whereas in T₀, T₃ and T₄, it was Rs. 2977, 2980 and 2978, respectively. The cost-benefit ratio was found to be similar and/or highest in T0 and T1 followed by equivalent values of T₂ and T₃, but it was found lowest in T₄. Chauhan, (2021) also reported a similar cost-benefit ratio in broiler birds on adding BrW meal as a maize substitute. The comparable values of the B:C ratio of different treatment groups depict that it is safe to replace maize flakes by up to 15% BaW in quail ration without any negative impact on economics.
 

The replacement of maize flakes with BaW in quail ration may be made maximum up to 15% level in an economical manner without affecting feed intake, body weight, FCR, PER and nutrient digestibility.  At 20% inclusion of BaW as maize replacer in quail ration, cost benefit ratio is adversely affected and leads to economic loss. Thus, BaW inclusion (up to 15% of maize flakes) may act as suitable unconventional substitute and reduce the dependency on maize grains. 

None.