Abstract

Background: Digestion constitutes one of the most important functions the body.
Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Kurunga probiotic on growth parameters, the activity of glycosidases and
peptidases in small intestinal chyme and mucosa, as well as excreta quality, in the meat-type chicks of Texas White Quail.
Methods: A total of 60 day-old quails were randomly assigned to two groups of 30 birds (15 birds/ cage) from day 1 to
day 90. The quails from the experimental group were daily given Kurunga with water (0.01 g per 1 kg of live weight) from
day 10 onward after hatching.
Results: Although the body weight and average daily gain of the quails from the control and experimental groups were
found to be the same, the addition of the probiotic resulted in lower mortality and increased excreta pH. No significant
differences were observed in amylolytic and peptidase activities in the chyme between the control and experimental groups.
Maltase and peptidase activities in the intestinal mucosa were found to be 26% higher in the birds from the experimental
group. In conclusion, the addition of Kurunga can reduced mortality, higher activity of digestive enzymes in the intestinal
mucosa, and alkaline pH shift of excreta.
Conclusion: The addition of Kurunga probiotic when raising quails can promote the growth of normal microflora, an
increase in the activity of digestive enzymes in the small intestine.

Key words: Excreta, Intestinal glycosidase and peptidase activities,Growth, Meat-type quail, Probiotic, Technology