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Abstract
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e investigated the effect of the Persian Gulf algae derivatives, namely phycocyanin (PC) and
fucoidan (FUC), on the performance, reproductive traits, and immune responses of laying
Japanese quails. A completely randomized design was used to distribute 250 six-week-old
Japanese quails with an average body weight of 215 ± 10 g into five treatments, five replicates,
and ten birds in each replicate over a five-week period. Unlike the control groups, the treatment
groups received drinking water supplemented with PC and FUC at concentrations of 20 or 40
mg/L, denoted as PC20, PC40, FUC20, and FUC40, respectively, while all birds were provided
with identical feed. Supplemental algal derivatives notably improved hen day egg production
(HDEP), egg mass, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group (P < 0.01).
Incorporating PC and FUC had no significant effect on the weight of males' testes or the weight
and length of hens' oviducts. Additionally, the experimental treatments had no impact on the
chicks' hatching weight. The supplementation of PC and FUC resulted in increased fertility (P =
0.038) and hatchability (P < 0.001) rates, with the exception of fertility in the PC40 group. The
effect of the experimental treatments on immune responses was largely not statistically
significant, except in the case of ND. Specifically, the experimental treatments resulted in
increased (P = 0.033) antibody titers against ND when compared to the control group, with the
exception of FUC20. Supplemental algal derivatives significantly (P < 0.01) reduced total
cholesterol, creatinine, and triglycerides (except in the case of PC20). Overall, these findings
underscore the potential of algal derivatives to enhance quail performance, reproductive traits,
and immune responses.
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