For the egg production period, 18-week-old birds
were fed either control or experimental diets. Two
hundred and forty female Japanese quails, which had
been reared under the same conditions, were divided
into four groups (of 60 birds each) and fed ratios containing
0% (control), 5%, 15%, or 25% PSM.Each group
of 60 birds was subdivided into four groups of 15 each,
for experimental replicates. The birds were housed in
cages for the 12-week duration of the experiments. Feed
and water were supplied ad libitum and artificial light
was provided for 16 h a day. Egg production records
were kept daily and feed consumption was tabulated
weekly throughout the trial. Egg weight was determined
with the one days egg production each week and all eggs
laid were weighted individually at the time of collection.
The data were summarized in 4-week periods (periods 1,
2, and 3 over the 12 weeks).