¹Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

²Center for Biotechnology and Biodiversity Research and Development, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta, Indonesia

Email: ratriyanto@staff.uns.ac.id

This study investigated how combined betaine and vitamin C supplementation affect the productive performance of quails raised in a reduced floor space. In total, 256 laying quails aged 23 weeks (average body weight of 154.6±5.0 g) were arranged in a completely randomized design of factorial 2×2 with 4 replicates. The birds were allocated to 16 cages with two floor spaces consisted of 250 cm², 222 cm². They were fed a diet without (Control) or with supplementation of 0.12% betaine in combination with 250 mg/kg vitamin C (BV). The data were subjected to analysis of variance and continued to Duncan’s test. Interactions were found on egg production and egg mass. The lower floor space without BV supplementation produced decreased the egg production, but lower floor space with BV supplementaion enhances the egg production (p<0.05). Supplementing BV enhanced egg mass in each floor space (P<0.05). Reducing floor space did not affect feed intake, egg weight and protein as well as energy efficiency ratio. BV enhance feed intake egg production, egg weight, protein and energy efficiency ratio and reduce the feed conversion (p<0.01). It is concluded that combined supplementation of betaine and vitamin C improves quails’ performance in reduced floor space.