The production and use of nanoparticles are growing rapidly. Recently, zinc oxide nanoparticles have been attracted more attention due to their vast applications such as UV light emission, piezoelectric, photocatalitic activity, antibacterial and deodorizing properties. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of zinc oxide nanoparticleson laying Japanese quail performance and if common form of zinc can be replaced by zinc oxide nanoparticles. Seventy five laying Japanese quails in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments of female quail (levels ppm 0, 20, 60, 180 of zinc oxide nanoparticles and control group included 60 ppm common form of zinc ) and 5 replicate groups (each repeated three birds per cage) were investigated. An observation using SAS software and statistical analysis using GLM ANOVA and Duncan’s multiple range tests were used to compare means. The experimental diet was formulated according to NRC standards. Daily eggs were collected and weighed daily basis and also the amount of feed consumed was recorded. Results showed that there were no significant differences between birds that fed the zinc oxide nanoparticles as compared with the birds that fed common form of zinc on feed intake, egg weight, egg production (%), feed conversion ratio (FCR) (feed/dozen egg) and FCR (feed/egg) ratio of laying Japanese quails (P>0.05). As there were not seen any toxicity symptoms, therefore base of these results, it suggests that the common form of zinc can be replaced by zinc oxide nanoparticles in diet of laying Japanese quail.
