RESUMO
Two experiments were carried out to study the effect of dietary protein levels and feeding system on growth performance of J. quail. In the first experiment, 405 quail chicks [one day old] were divided into five equal triplicate groups. The quail groups were fed on five isocaloric diets [2850 Kcal ME/Kg] contained different levels of crude protein [20, 22, 24, 26 and 28%] throughout the experimental period [6 weeks]. There were no significant differences in average body weight between the groups fed diets contained 24, 26 or 28% CP. The protein level [28%] resulted in decreasing the amount of feed intake and improved the efficiency of feed utilization, in addition to increased amount of protein intake per bird; while the protein efficiency ratio was decreased. The dietary protein level had no significant effect of percentage of the dressed carcass or total edible carcass. In the second experiment, 250 quail chicks [one day old] were divided into five duplicate groups. The first control group was fed 28% CP contained diet during the experimental period while each of the other groups fed three isocaloric diets [2850 Kcal ME/Kg] contained different levels of protein [25, 24 or 20%] for different periods of age. It was found that maximum gain in live body weight with less feed cost/gram of gain was recorded [28%] for the first 3 weeks of age, 24% CP-diet during the next 2 weeks and 20% CP-diet at last week of the rearing period