Abstract:
This study assessed the nutritive value of quail eggs as influenced by diets enhanced with
waterleaf meal. Three diets tagged W0 (100% layer’s feed), W20 (80% layers’ feed plus 20%
waterleaf) and W40 (60% layers’ feed plus 40% waterleaf) were used for this study. Ninety
quails were used for the trial. They were divided into three groups of 30 birds each which were
further divided into 10 birds per replicate. Each group was randomly allotted to the three diets in
a Completely Randomized Design experiment which lasted 3 weeks. Three eggs per treatment
per week or 9 eggs per group were collected for analysis of proximate composition, minerals,
cholesterol and cholesterol fractions. Data was analysed using One-way Analysis of Variance in
Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Tukey Post-Hoc test was used to separate significant
means at 5% level of significance. Results show that percent DM, CP, EE, ash and NFE as well
as GE (kcal/g) ranged from 28.16–28.39, 14.64–14.93, 10.23–10.39, 2.40–2.56, 0.67–0.74 and
1.97–1.99, respectively. The Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Se, I, Cu and Mn values (mg/100g)
ranged from 144.67–145.08, 138.78–139.04, 64.52–65.08, 178.68–179.13 and 78.48–79.35,
3.40–3.64, 0.47–0.54, 0.014–0.018, 0.88–0.94, 0.32–0.37 and 0.68–0.75, respectively. The
contents for total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and VLDL (mg/100g), lipid peroxidation (MDA/g) and
triglycerides (mg/100g) ranged from 871.70–986.37, 418.80–526.40, 238.50–347.67, 18.67–
19.40 13.66–14.53 and 75.15–195.77, respectively. There were significant differences (p<0.05)
among treatment means for all the parameters studied. Inclusion of waterleaf in quail diets
increased ash and most minerals in the eggs as well as reduce the cholesterol and peroxidation of
egg fats, potentially minimizing the risk for atherosclerosis in the quail egg consumers. We
recommend inclusion of 20% waterleaf in quail diets to enhance the egg nutritive value.
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