Fertility and Hatchability Evaluation of Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) Supplemented with Powdered Leaves of Jute Mallow (Corchorus olitorius) and Siam Weed (Chromolaena odorata)

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with powdered jute mallow (JMLP) and siam weed (SWLP) leaves on the fertility and hatchability of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) over a 45-day period. A total of 120 eggs were collected from quails subjected to four dietary treatments: T1 (control: 1000 g commercial ration), T2 (1000 g commercial ration + 50 g JMLP), T3 (1000 g commercial ration + 50 g SWLP), and T4 (1000 g commercial ration + 50 g JMLP + 50 g SWLP). Eggs were incubated during the 4th and 8th weeks of the feeding trial and evaluated for fertility and hatchability using a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and one-way ANOVA. The results indicated no significant differences in hatchability based on fertile eggs across treatments. However, fertility rates differed highly significantly (p < 0.01), with the highest values observed in quails receiving jute mallow supplementation. These findings suggest that jute mallow has a positive influence on reproductive performance, offering a promising, locally available, and cost-effective alternative to conventional feed additives. Although siam weed supplementation alone did not produce similar effects, its potential synergistic impact warrants further investigation. Overall, the inclusion of jute mallow in quail diets may contribute to improved fertility outcomes and enhance hatchery productivity in small-scale and commercial quail production systems.