Usa Chethanond, Sutha Wattanasit, Porntip Prommeung, and Nongporn Towatana

pp. 597 - 609

Abstract

Pharmacological study on Beijing grass (Bj. grass: Murdannia loriformis) showed immunomodulator
and anticancer activities. Thus, the effect of Bj. grass in diets was investigated in Japanese quails (aged 0-6
weeks) on growth performances, humoral immunity and carcass characteristics.
708 1-day-old quails (Corturnix type) which had no vaccination program were used in this study.
They were experimented using completely randomized design and were divided into 6 treatments consisted of
4 replications with 27-31 heads each. The treatments were assigned as follows: Treatment 1 (T1) no vaccination and no Bj.grass, Treatment 2 (T2) vaccination and no Bj.grass, Treatment 3 (T3) vaccination and 3%
Bj.grass, Treatment 4 (T4) vaccination and 6% Bj.grass, Treatment 5 (T5) vaccination and 9% Bj.grass and
Treatment 6 (T6) vaccination and 10% Bj.grass juice (w/v). Vaccination program by 1) Newcastle disease +
Infectious Bronchitis and 2) Pox were given at 1 and 3 weeks. Approximately 25% of quails were bled for
determination of packed cell volume, gamma globulin levels and ND-HI titers. All male quails were put to
sleep at 6 weeks. The results showed weight gain in the 3^rd week was different in treatments using Bj. grass
and treatments using control diet which body weight gain reduced when the level of Bj. grass increased
(p <0.05). During 4-6 weeks no difference in growth performance was found (p > 0.05). It was noted that not more than 6% Bj. grass could be used in quail diet without abnormal clinical signs. However, the more grass
showed the tendency of poor weight gain. There were no differences in packed cell volume or gamma IgG
level and ND-HI titers did not reach protection level. For carcass characteristics, Bj. grass 3% in diet gave the
best carcass characteristics. (p < 0.05) In addition there was a dose-related reduction of abdominal fat (P=0.001).