Apparent metabolizable energy and performance of Northern Bobwhite quail fed selected grain sorghum varieties

Abstract

Objective

One objective of this study was to determine the nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AME_n) content of tannin-free red/bronze, white/tan, and US No. 2 varieties of grain sorghum fed to Northern Bobwhite quail; the determinations were done when the quail were 6 and 11 wk of age. Our other objective was to evaluate the effects of AME_n on growth performance.

Materials and Methods

The AME_n content of red/ bronze, white/tan, and US No. 2 grain sorghum varieties was determined using a dextrose control diet as the standard, fed to 200 mixed-sex Northern Bobwhite quail. Weekly measures of mean BW and feed consumption were used to calculate BW gain, feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Analyses were based on a 2 × 4 factorial treatment design with age (grower and finisher phases) and grain types (corn-dextrose, red/bronze, white/tan, and US No. 2) defining the treatments. Cage was the experimental unit, with data analyzed using JMP Pro version 16 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC).

Results and Discussion

The interaction between the diet and age effect was not significant for any of the variables assessed. Mean AME_n values of modern grain sorghum varieties for Northern Bobwhite quail at 6 wk of age were determined as 3,683 (red/bronze), 3,604 (white/ tan), and 3,625 (US No. 2) kcal/kg. At 11 wk of age, the determined AME_n values were 3,502 (red/bronze), 3,486 (white/tan), and 3,522 (US No. 2) kcal/kg. Age had a significant effect across AME_n, BW gain, FI, and FCR. Surprisingly, AME_n decreased with age, and sorghum varieties showed a greater FI versus the control diet. White/tan and US No. 2 sorghum reported a greater FCR than the control. The reduction in AME_n with age might reflect a complex interplay of physiological, dietary, and environmental factors in Northern Bobwhite quail, where further research for optimizing nutrition and management practices is warranted.

Implications and Applications

The findings revealed a comparable AME_n level among sorghum types and corn. This study aligns with the shared goals of wildlife conservation and agricultural sustainability, confirming tannin-free sorghum as a potential energy source to enhance the Northern Bobwhite quail habitat and breeding.