Beneficial effect of feeding olive pulp and Aspergillus awamori on productive performance, egg quality, serum/yolk cholesterol and oxidative status in laying Japanese quails

In the twelve-week study, the effect of feeding olive pulp (OP) without or with Aspergillus awamori on performance, egg quality, serum lipids and antioxidant status of 360 8-week-old laying Japanese quail hens was evaluated. Birds were randomly distributed to 6 groups: control (C) receiving maize-soybean basal diet with no additives, the other supplemented with: 0.1% A awamori (A) containing 3x10(6) A. awamori spores/g, 5% OP (OP5), 5% OP + 0.1% A. awamori (OP(5)A), 10% OP (OP10) or 10% OP + 0.1% A. awamori (OP(10)A). It was shown that egg weight and number were increased (P < 0.05) in groups fed OP with or without A. awamori in comparison to C group, while final body weight, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio and egg mass did not differ between treatments. Yolk (%) and yolk:albumin ratio were enhanced (P < 0.05) in groups OP(5)A, OP10 and OP10 A, while egg shape index was improved in all treatment groups except OP10 group during the last experimental period (16-20 week of age). The hypocholesterolemic effect of OP and A. awamori was greatly noticed, where yolk contents of cholesterol and total lipids and serum levels of triglycerides, cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were reduced in nearly all treated groups. Antioxidant status of birds from supplemented groups was improved (P < 0.01) as reduced glutathione content and glutathione reductase activity were increased, while lipid peroxidation was decreased. So, dietary supplementation of OP with or without A. awamori can improve performance, egg cholesterol content, serum lipid profile and antioxidant status of laying Japanese quail hens during early laying periods.