The effect of supplemented probiotic on the laying performance and egg quality of Japanese quail (Coturnix-coturnix japonica Temminck and Schlegel, 1849) Free

Quail egg is one of the potential livestock products in Indonesia. Increased egg production often used antibiotics. Utilization of antibiotics has a negative effect on consumers that can increase bacterial resistance. It is necessary to study the alternative feed that is probiotics to improve the quality of livestock products. The purpose of this research was to investigate the effect of Marolis probiotics on the performance and egg quality of Japanese quail. This study used 24 laying quails aged 9 wk, and each treatment consisted of six quails as control treatment without probiotic and probiotic treatment with a concentration of 0.1 mL, 0.2 mL, and 0.3 mL. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, productivity, egg weight, egg index, shell thickness, yolk weight, yolk index, Haugh unit, yolk color, and egg yolk cholesterol were measured. The results showed that probiotics significantly influence weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg index, egg yolk index, and eggshell thickness. Treatment of probiotics of 0.1 mL gave significant results (p < 0.05) on quail performance. Except for productivity, probiotic treatment of 0.2 mL has a significant effect on the egg index. All concentrations of probiotic treatment were given significant effect on yolk index. Treatment of 0.2 mL probiotics gave the best results on all parameters except skin thickness. In conclusion, administration of Marolis probiotics have a significant effect on increased body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg index, egg yolk index, and eggshell thickness. The concentration of probiotics that provided best results was 0.2 mL.