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Abstract
SUMMARY
Experiment (1):
Fifty one day old quail chicks were managed from hatching till 42 days old.
1- Quail behaviour: The experiment was divided into 2 periods: - A- 7days up to 21 days old------------- The influence of age and periods of the day on the behavioural traits were investigated.
B- 21 days up to 42 days old----------- The influence of age and periods of the day as well as the effect of sex separation on the behavioural traits were investigated.
a- First period (during 2nd and 3rd weeks of age):
1- During 3rd week of age, quail chicks displayed more feeding, crouching, comfort and feather pecking patterns than during the 2nd week of age.
2- Drinking, huddling, ground pecking and movement activities showed by quail chicks during the 2nd week were higher than those displayed by them during the 3rd week of age.
3- The aggressive encounters were zero during the 2nd and 3rd weeks. At the same time, a stability of vocalization was observed during 2nd and 3rd weeks of age.
4- Feeding was not significantly affected by the period of the day. At late morning, quail chicks were less active in feeding than at early morning or late afternoon.
5- During 2nd week of age, drinking time was significantly varied by periods of observation. Most of drinking bouts were occurred during the early morning. On the contrary, no significant differences in the time of drinking bout were recorded at the 3rd week.
6- Resting behaviour was significantly differed among different observation periods. At both 2nd and 3rd weeks, crouching and huddling behaviours were mostly prevalent during the late morning and late afternoon than early morning.
7- The results revealed presence of significant differences (p<0.05) between periods of observation for the frequencies of standing, walking and running behaviours of quail chicks. These patterns reached its maximum level at early morning. However, the lower movement activities were recorded at late afternoon.
8-Periods of the day had a significant effect (p<0.05) on vocalization behaviour, the late afternoon period had a higher vocalization frequency than both early and late morning
9- The time of day had no significant effect on stretching, shaking, preening and ruffling behaviours. The late morning was the period of the highest stretching frequency either during 2nd or 3rd weeks of age (4.00 and 7.73 act/hour). On the other side, the highest wing/body shaking frequency was observed at late afternoon either during 2nd or 3rd weeks of age (1.03 and 1.63 act/hour, respectively).
10-periods of the day had a non significant effect on the frequency of trough pecking, feather pecking and wall & ground pecking behavioural patterns.
b- 2nd period (from 4th up to 6th week of age):
1- Ingestive behaviour:
1- Sex separation had a non significant effect on feeding frequency, feeding time (sec/bout) or total feeding time among different sex groups. Females eat more than males.
2-The variation of the daily periods was observed to have a significant effect (p<0.05) on frequency of feeding and feeding time (sec/bout) where, it was mostly prevalent during the early morning than late morning or late afternoon. At the same time, the longer time spent by birds in feeding was during the late morning and late afternoon. Most of males feeding activity observed at late morning, while, those for females and mixed groups were at early morning and late afternoon.
3-A non significant reduction in feeding frequency with increasing bird age was observed. Males and mixed groups showed a non significant increase in feeding time (sec/bout) with increasing the age. On the contrary, the feeding time (sec/bout) was significantly longer during the 5th and 6th weeks of age than that of the 4th week in females group.
4- The results reveled that, there was an increase in feeding consumption with the increase of age. Feeding behaviour of males increased up to the 5th week of age then it declined.
5-Sex separation had a non significant effect on water intake frequency, water intake time (sec/bout) or total dinking time (min/20 min). Mixed group showed a lower water intake frequency than males or females group during 4th and 5th week, while, at the 6th week, the lowest frequency was shown by males group. Moreover, males group spent longer time on water trough (12.66 sec/bout) than females or mixed groups (9.81 and 10.22 sec/bout, respectively).
6- Early morning and late afternoon periods were accompanied with the highest drinking frequency for females group. On contrary, mixed and males group displayed the highest drinking frequencies during early and late morning. Moreover, the drinking time (sec/bout) was not significantly varied with the periods of observation. Drinking time (sec/bout) was observed to be longer at late afternoon than early or late morning, respectively.
7-Males and females groups showed a longer total drinking time (min/20min) at early morning than late morning or late afternoon. On contrary, the highest drinking time of mixed group was observed to occur at late morning.
8-Age had a non significant effect on drinking frequency. In males and females group, it was observed that, water intake frequency reduced with age. At the same time, there was no constant effect of age on water intake time in males and mixed groups, although, a gradual increase was observed in it with advancing of age for females group.
9-The total time spent by males in drinking activities was reduced with age, however, a slight increase in drinking time was observed in mixed group with increasing age. Moreover, females group showed a non constant effect of age on drinking total time
2- Social behaviour:
1-Sex had a significant effect on vocalization and aggressive encounters frequency. Males group displayed a higher vocalization and aggressive encounters frequency than mixed or females groups.
2-Early morning period had a higher frequency of vocalization and aggressive encounters than both late morning and late afternoon.
3- Vocalization frequency was insignificantly increased with age.
4- Aggressive behavioural pattern was zero during the first four weeks of age then began to appear at the 5th week, progressed and increased gradually till the 6th week of age.
3-Movement activities:
1- Sex separation had a non significant effect on Movement activities (standing, walking and running) of Japanese quail. However, males and females groups showed higher frequency than mixed group.
2-Standing and walking frequencies were non significantly decreased with increasing the age.
3-Running frequency in females group was non significantly decreased with age. On the contrary, in males and mixed groups, running frequency at the 6th week of age was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that occurred during 4th or 5th weeks of age.
4-The periods of the day had a significant effect on movement activities of Japanese quail (standing, walking and running). Movement activities were mostly prevalent at early morning.
4- Resting behaviour:
1-The differences in crouching and huddling behavioural patterns related to sex separation were statistically non significant. The lowest crouching time and frequency during 4th, 5th and 6th weeks were displayed by males group.
2-Crouching time (sec/ bout), crouching frequency and total crouching time (min/20 minute) were decreased with age in all groups. On the contrary, huddling behaviour was progressively developed with age. Moreover, crouching was mostly prevalent during the late morning than early morning or early afternoon.
3-Variations of the daily periods were observed to affect significantly (p<0.05) on huddling percentage where, late afternoon was accompanied with the highest percentage during 4th and 5th week, however, at 6th week, the highest percentage was occurred at late morning, early morning and late afternoon for males, females and mixed groups, respectively.
5- Comfort activities:
1-Sex separation had a non significant effect on the frequency of Comfort activities (wing/leg stretching, shaking, preening, ruffling and yawning).
2- No significant differences in the frequencies of comfort behavioural patterns were observed between the three investigated periods of the day. Early morning was the almost period of lowest Comfort activities.
3- Yawning, ruffling and preening activities were insignificantly increased with advancing of age. At the same time, a significant increase in shaking frequency was observed. On the contrary, stretching frequency was insignificantly decreased with increasing the age.
6- Non aggressive pecking:
1-Sex had a non significant effect on trough pecking frequency; however, males group displayed a higher frequency than females or mixed ones. Sex had a significant effect on feather pecking behaviour in quail. During 5th and 6th weeks, females group displayed a significantly (p<0.05) higher feather pecking frequency than males or mixed groups, respectively. Moreover, at the 5th and 6th week of age, a significant difference in the frequency of ground pecking behaviour was observed as a result of sex separation, where females group showed higher frequency than males or mixed group.
2- Feather pecking frequency was significantly increased with advancing of age. At the same time, wall and ground pecking frequency was significantly higher during 5th than 4th or 6th weeks of age. On the other side, a non significant effect of the age on the frequency of trough pecking behaviour was recorded.
2- Performance character:
2-1-Body weight:
a- Age was found to affect significantly (p<0.01) on body weight. A gradual and significant increase was found for 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th weeks of age.
b- Sex had a significant effect on body weight, where females had a significantly higher body weight than males in both separated and mixed groups.
2-2- Body weight gain:
a- Body weight gain was significantly increased as birds gets older up to 4th week then declined again at the 5th and 6th weeks.
b- Females group had a higher body weight gain than males in both mixed and separated groups.
2-3- Feed intake and feed conversion rate:
a- The lowest feed intake was at the first week (23.37 gm/week), while, the highest was at the 6th week (163.88 gm/week). The feed conversion rate showed a gradual increase with age, the highest value was at the 6th week (4.65).
b- Mixed group showed a lower feed intake and better conversion ratio than females or males groups, respectively.
3- Effect of sex separation on serum corticosterone level:
Males group had a significantly (p<0.05) higher serum corticosterone level (19.48 ng/ml) than females (13.16 ng/ml) or mixed groups (12.09 and 12.99 ng/ml in females and males, respectively).
Experiment (2):
300 four weeks old Japanese quail chicks were used to investigate the effect of heat stress on quail behaviour, performance, carcass characteristics, and some blood parameters. Chicks were equally divided into 5 groups, each group included 60 chicks .Experimented quails were exposed to heat stress for 15 days (5th and 6th weeks) as they were housed under different temperatures ( 22, 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively).
1-Quail behaviour:
1-1- Feeding behaviour:
1-Birds which reared at 22 ºC displayed significantly (p<0.05) more feeding frequencies than those reared at 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively. However, birds reared at 29 ºC shown a non significant decrease in their feeding frequency.
2- Non significant reduction in feeding time (sec/bout) was recorded between 22, 29 and 34 ºC, on the contrary, a significant reduction was observed between 22, 36 and 40 ºC.
3- A significant reduction in total feeding time with increasing environmental temperature was observed.
1-2- Drinking behaviour:
1-Chicks exposed to 40 ºC displayed a significantly higher drinking frequency than those exposed to 22 ºC. On the contrary, a non significant increase in drinking frequency between birds reared at 22, 29, 34 and 36 ºC was observed. Analysis of variance between means of drinking time (sec/bout) showed a significant increase in bout time with increasing environmental temperature.
2-When quail chicks exposed to 22, 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, the means of total drinking time were 0.89, 1.49, 2.21, 2.80 and 3.07 (minute/hour) during 5th week of age ,while, it were 0.96, 1.69, 2.28, 2.86 and 3.18 (minute/hour) during 6th week of age, respectively. Analysis of variance between means of the total drinking time showed a significant effect (p<0.05) of different room temperature
1-3-Social behaviour:
1-Quail chicks exposed to 22 ºC displayed a significantly higher agonistic frequency than those reared at 40 ºC.
2-Increasing environmental temperature increased vocalization rate.
1-4- Resting behaviour:
1- Crouching frequency during 5th week of age had a non significant increase as environmental temperature increased from 22 ºC up to 36 ºC, however, birds exposed to 40 ºC had a significantly (p<0.05) higher frequency and increased time than those reared at 22 ºC. On the other hand , during 6th week of age birds exposed to 34 and 40 ºC had a significantly higher frequency than those reared at 22 ºC, however, birds reared at 22 ºC displayed a significantly (p<0.05) lower crouching time (sec/bout) than other groups.
2- A non significant increase in total crouching time was observed as the temperature increased from 22 to 36 ºC, however, birds reared at 40 ºC spent a significantly higher crouching time (22.01 min/hour) than birds reared at 22 ºC (10.77 min/hour). Moreover, at 6th week of age (2nd week of heat stress) a significant differences among heat stressed birds (29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC) and control group (22 ºC) was observed
3-Birds exposed to 36 and 40 ºC had a significantly (p<0.05) less huddling time % than the control group throughout the experimental period. Also, 34 and 29 ºC groups displayed an insignificantly less huddling time % than the control one during the first and second weeks of heat stress.
1-5- Movement activities:
Exposing quail chicks to heat stress resulted in decreasing locomotors activity of the bird.
1-6- Comfort behaviours:
1-Preening behaviors were significantly decreased as environmental temperature increased.
2- Heat stress decreased stretching and shaking behaviours.
3- Birds reared at 22 ºC displayed a significantly higher yawning frequency than those reared at 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, however, the differences between control group and 29,34 and 36 ºC groups became non significant during second week of heat stress.
4- The respiration rate of birds exposed to heat stress at 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC was significantly higher than those exposed to 22 ºC, either at 5th or 6th weeks old.
5- Birds reared at 22 ºC displayed a significantly lower frequency of ruffling feathers than those reared at 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively
1-7- Non aggressive pecking behaviours:
1-Increasing environmental temperature had no effect on trough pecking or wall & ground pecking frequencies, either during 5th or 6th week.
2- Quail chicks reared at 22 ºC showed a significantly (p<0.05) lower feather pecking frequency than those reared at 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively
2- Performance characters:
2- 1-Body weight:
At the end of the 5th week, a non significant decrease in body weight with increasing environmental temperature from 22 ºC up to 36 ºC was observed, however, there was a significant (p<0.05) difference between body weights of chicks kept under 22 and 40 ºC. Meanwhile, at the end of the 6th week, the results illustrated a non significant decrease in body weight with increasing environmental temperature from 22 ºC up to 29 ºC. On the contrary, there were significant (p<0.05) differences between body weights of chicks kept under 22 and 34, 36 & 40ºC.
2-2- Body weight gain:
The results claimed non significant differences between birds reared at 22 and 29 ºC in both weeks of the experiment, however, there was a significant reduction in body weight gain in birds exposed to 34, 36 and 40 ºC, as compared with those kept under 22 ºC
2-3- Feed intake and feed conversion ratio:
During 5th week of age, a significant decrease in feed intake was indicated among birds reared at 22, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively. Meanwhile, during the 6th week of age, only birds reared at 40 ºC showed a significantly (p<0.05) lower feed intake than those reared at 22 ºC. Moreover, increasing environmental temperature resulted in a non significant increase in feed conversion ratio.
3- Carcass characteristics:
3-1- Live body weight at slaughtering time:
Only birds exposed to 40 ºC showed a significant decrease in their body weight as compared with the control one (22 ºC).
3-2- Eviscerated carcass weight percentage:
The results showed a non significant decrease in eviscerated carcass weight percentage as the environmental temperature increased.
3-3 Dressing percentage:
Birds reared at 22 ºC had a significantly (p<0.05) higher dressing percentage than birds exposed to 34, 36 or 40ºC, however, a non significant differences were observed between birds reared at 22 or 29 ºC.
3-4- Edible giblets percentage:
1-Birds kept under 22 ºC had a significantly higher liver weight percentage than those reared at 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC.
2-The results indicated a non significant increase in heart weight with increasing environmental temperature, while, there were only significant (p<0.05) differences between heart weight percentage of birds kept under 22 and 40 ºC.
3-The gizzard weight percentage was significantly (P<0.05) higher at 22 ºC as compared with 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC,
4- Blood parameters:
4-1- Total red blood corpuscles count (RBCs):
A significant (p<0.05) decrease in RBCs count was recorded in birds exposed to 40 ºC followed by that exposed to 36 ºC then 34 ºC as compared with that exposed to 22 ºC
4-2- Total leukocyte count (WBCs):
Heat stress decreased number of WBCs. Since, the overall means of WBCs number were; 22.88 , 20.65, 20.53, 19.38 and 17.46 x 103 cell/ml blood for birds exposed to22, 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively.
4-3- Packed cell volume (PCV %):
A significant (p<0.05) decrease in packed cell volume was recorded in birds exposed to high temperature in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
4-4- Hemoglobin concentration (g/dl):
The elevation of the environmental temperature caused a significant decrease in hemoglobin concentration in birds exposed to high temperature, in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
4-5- Mean corpuscle hemoglobin (MCH):
The results cleared a significant decrease in MCH for heat stressed birds in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
4-6- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV):
Only a significant (p<0.05) difference was observed between birds reared at 40 and 22 ºC.
4-7-Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC):
The results cleared a significant decrease in MCHC for 34, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
4-8- Effect of heat stress on differential leukocyte count:
a- Heterophil percentage:
Heat stress significantly increased the heterophil cells number in exposed quail.
b- Lymphocyte percentage:
The results cleared a significant decrease in lymphocyte with increasing environmental temperature.
c- Heterophil/Lymphocyte ratio (H/L):
The results cleared a significant increase in H/L with increasing environmental temperature.
d- Esinophil percentage:
The obtained results showed a significant increase in esinophil percentage with increasing environmental temperature.
e- Monocyte percentage:
Results cleared a significant increase in Monocyte percentage for birds exposed to 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
f- Basiophil percentage:
The results indicated a significant increase in basophile percentage for birds exposed to 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-Effect of heat stress on chemical parameters of serum:
5-1-Serum phosphorus level:
The results indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in phosphorus level in birds exposed to 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-2- Serum Calcium level (mg/dl):
Data indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum Calcium level in birds exposed to 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-3- Calcium/ Phosphorus ratio:
The results cleared a significant decrease in calcium/ phosphorus ratio for birds exposed to 36 and 40 ºC, respectively in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-4- Serum total proteins (g/dl):
Results cleared a significant decrease in total proteins for 34, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-5- Serum albumin (g/dl):
Only birds exposed to 36 and 40 ºC had a significantly (p<0.05) lower serum albumin level than those reared at 22ºC.
5- 6- Serum globulin (g/dl):
Data indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in Serum globulin level for 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
5-7- Albumin/ Globulin ratio:
The results revealed a non significant increase in albumin/ globulin ratio for 29, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC. On contrary, birds exposed to 34 ºC showed significantly (p<0.05) higher albumin/ globulin ratio than those reared at 22 ºC.
6- Effect of heat stress on serum hormones:
6-1- Thyroid hormones:
a-Triiodothyronine (T3):
The results illustrated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum triiodothyronine for 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC. The overall means values of T3 were; 1.93, 1.83, 1.48, 1.16 and 1.22 (nmol/l) for birds exposed to 22, 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively.
b-Tetraiodothyronine level (T4):
The data revealed a significant decrease in T4 in birds exposed to 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively in comparison with those exposed to 22 ºC.
a- T3/ T4 ratio:
The data indicated a significant (p<0.05) decrease in serum T3 / T4 ratio for 34, 36 and 40 ºC groups in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC.
6-2- Corticosterone level (ng/ml):
Significant (p<0.05) increase in serum corticosterone level was recorded in birds exposed to 40 ºC followed by that exposed to 36 ºC then 34 ºC in comparison with birds exposed to 22 ºC. The overall means values of Corticosterone level were; 10.61, 12.32, 15.41, 17.20 and 23.39 (ng/ml) for birds exposed to 22, 29, 34, 36 and 40 ºC, respectively