Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
European Poultry Science, cilt.79, 2015 (SCI-Expanded)
This study was carried out to determine the effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide (NO) donor, and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a NO inhibitor, supplementation to laying quail diets on ovarian primordial and primary follicle number and diameter and egg performance. A total of 375 (250 females and 125 males) 8-week-old Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were divided into 5 groups with 75 quail in each: one control group and 4 treatment groups. Each group was divided into 5 replicate groups, each containing 15 quail. The control group was fed on the basal diet, while the experimental groups were fed on the basal diet supplemented with 50 mg/kg SNP, 200 mg/kg SNP, 50 mg/kg L-NAME or 200 mg/kg L-NAME. The results showed that the number of ovarian primordial (P<0.05) and primary (P<0.01) follicles decreased and the diameters of primary follicles increased in the SNP200, L-NAME50, and L-NAME200 groups compared to the control and SNP50 groups (P<0.05). Egg production decreased in the SNP200 and L-NAME200 groups compared to the control group (P<0.01). Feed consumption decreased (P<0.05) in all experimental groups (P<0.01) except the L-NAME200 group, for which feed consumption increased (P<0.01). Feed conversion ratio was improved in the SNP200 group but impaired in the L-NAME200 group (P<0.01). Dietary SNP and L-NAME supplementation did not affect the ovarian primordial follicle diameter, egg weight, body weight, egg shape index, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index or Haugh unit (P>0.05). Supplementation of 200 mg/kg SNP or NO-inhibitor L-NAME to the diet decreases egg production by delaying the development process of follicles in laying quail.