Individual discrimination following 24 h of pair contact in one- and seven-day-old Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

Behaviour ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 145 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amandine Béry ◽  
Richard Porter ◽  
Cécile Arnould

AbstractThis study examined the capacity of young Japanese quail to discriminate between a familiar cagemate (F) and an unfamiliar conspecific (U). Two tests of discrimination were initially compared: a simultaneous double choice test and a pair test allowing social pecking. Discrimination was more clearly demonstrated in the choice test, which was, therefore, used in the subsequent experiments. One-day-old chicks that had been housed in pairs after hatching spent significantly more time near F than a U stimulus bird and more frequently approached and attempted to interact with F. Seven-day-old chicks that were raised in large groups for the first 6 days, then in pairs for 24 h, subsequently displayed no significant differences in their responses to their recent pair partner versus an unfamiliar chick. On the other hand, chicks that were raised in pairs for 6 days, then housed with a new partner (F) for 24 h, more frequently approached and attempted to interact with F than a U bird. These results show that 24 h of pair contact beginning at hatching or 6 days of age is sufficient for quail to discriminate between a familiar cagemate and a stranger. This discrimination ability is influenced by the chicks' early social experience.

Behaviour ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 57 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 91-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Gallagher

AbstractThe present investigation has focused on the relationship of social experience during different developmental stages and subsequent mating behavior. Japanese quail Coturnix coturnix japonica were employed as subjects in that these avians become sexually mature as early as 42 days posthatch and they readily mate in an experimental apparatus. Four different treatments of exposure to albino Japanese quail were compared on a number of measures to determine how a particular regimen of social experience might affect social behavior in sexually mature males. The four experimental treatments were: First, exposure to normal age-mates only for either the first 5 or 20 days posthatch and then isolation from the 2ist day posthatch (NEX). Second, exposure to albino age-mates for the first 5 days posthatch and then isolation (SEX). Third, exposure to only albino age-mates during the first 20-25 days posthatch and then isolation (PEX). Fourth, exposure to albino age-mates from day 16 through day 25, and then isolation (LEX). The first measure obtained was the experimental virgin male's approach to a confined female in a simultaneous choice test between a normal and albino female. This measure proved to be an unreliable predictor of mate preference except in the case of the NEX group. Hence, except for those cases wherein subjects are reared with typical social objects can one expect that measures such as the approach response be related to more typical social interaction such as mating. The second observation was the mount preference for either the albino or normal female in a simultaneous choice test. Both the NEX and SEX groups selected normals 100% of the time. The PEX group selected albinos in all but one case. The LEX group was essentially equivocal with respect to a preference; 6 selected normal females and 4 selected albinos. This observation demonstrates that it is possible to establish the albino coturnix female as the preferred sexual object on the basis of a program of social experience. The data are discussed in terms of mechanisms that may serve to produce the observed differences among treatment groups. The final observation was whether or not coturnix males would mount albino females (within five minutes) when they were presented alone. This later observation served to differentiate the NEX and SEX groups and suggested that sexual responsiveness toward a particular social object may result from more than a single influence. Again, data from the albino test were discussed in terms of the mechanisms that were thought to be responsible for the observed differences among groups. An imprinting mechanism is thought to be responsible for the selection of albinos in the simultaneous choice test for both the PEX and LEX groups. The rationale for such a conclusion was based on the difference between the SEX and LEX groups in the number of subjects selecting an albino female in the simultaneous choice test. No members of the SEX (early exposure period) group mounted albinos in the simultaneous choice test, whereas 4 LEX's (later exposure period) mounted albinos in the simultaneous choice test. This difference was concluded to have resulted from social experience at a later ontogenetic stage rather than due to the increased duration of exposure in that the LEX group was exposed to normals for 15 days (a greater amount than the 10 day exposure treatment) and the SEX was not exposed to normals at all. A habituation-sensitization mechanism is thought to be responsible for the difference in mounting albino females in the albino test between the NEX group and the SEX and LEX groups. No NEX mounted an albino female, whereas all SEX and LEX males mounted albino females. This interpretation is based on the observation that avians generally manifest increased fear responsiveness toward newer objects after the first few days posthatch, and that experience with novel objects has been shown to reduce subsequent fear responsivity toward the experienced object. Further, it is assumed that in addition to the generalization of habituation from the earlier exposure to albinos there also was some generalization of sensitization to albinos as social objects. The coturnix appears to be a highly suitable species for the further study of those parameters effecting preferences for albinos in a simultaneous choice test.


1981 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHIRLEY A.H. KOVACS ◽  
GREGORY C. WILSON ◽  
JOSEPH K. KOVACH

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-38
Author(s):  
Khalid C.K. Al-Salhie ◽  
Abdulkarim M. Al- Waeli

The current study was conducted to investigate the effect of adding different levels of ginseng roots to the diet on some physiological characteristics of Japanese quail males. A total of 120 Japanese quail males aged one week were used in this study. The males were randomly distributed into four experimental treatments (n=30). Each treatment was replicated three times (10 individual each). Males were fed experimental diets that were formulated to contain the same components as the control diet which contained red ginseng roots powder at levels 250, 500 and 750 mg/ kg feed  in other three experimental diets respectively. The results showed that the males of the fourth treatment recorded the lowest mean of the age of sexual puberty. While the highest average of sexual puberty age was recorded by the males of first treatment. On the other hand, the fourth treatment recorded the highest relative weight of testes compared with the other treatments at the age of 30 and 60 days. The results indicated that the males of the fourth treatment recorded highest Testosterone, FSH and LH levels compared with the other treatments at the age of 60 days. We can conclude from this study that the highest concentration of powder ginseng roots (750mg/kg feed) can promote the development of testes and increase testosterone, FSH and LH hormones in the serum of Japanese quail males.


Author(s):  
Atilla Taskin ◽  
Ufuk Karadavut

The aim of this study is to investigate the behaviors of and monitor the changes on behaviors of Japanese quails reared in different stocking density, through using different objects, (small red balls, bunch of rope, mirrors and beads) providing environmental enrichment (EE) in the cages of quails. Six hundred of 1 day old Japanese quail chicks (mixed sex) were used in this study. Birds were reared in battery cages with four floors, each of which has two separations. The quails were placed in cage dimension in the quantities of 10 quails (lower density: LD) and of 20 quails (higher density: HD) per separation. Our hypothesis was that EE would improve the welfare of quails. The birds were observed in their cages naturally in accordance with one-zero sampling, and home cage avoidance test was performed for these birds. While the applications have significant effect on feeding and relaxation behaviors (P<0.05 levels) in LD environment, the effect of comfort, social and other behaviors was realized at P<0.01 levels in the same environment. However in HD environment, only rest behavior was affected significantly in P<0.05 level, the other properties were affected in P<0.01 levels. The live weights weren’t affected from EE (for LD, P=0.134 and for HD P=0.216). It was determined in the result of this study that the objects hung in the quail cages had potential effect to improve the welfare of quails.


2018 ◽  
Vol 156 (7) ◽  
pp. 942-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Y. Mahmoud ◽  
A. S. Abdel Hafez ◽  
A. M. Emam ◽  
A. M. Abdelmoniem ◽  
S. A. ElSafty

AbstractA total of 1180 1-day-old Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) chicks were used to investigate the effect of feathering rates on growth and slaughter traits. Feathering rates were classified based on the results of stepwise regression using numbers and lengths of both primaries and secondaries and tail length at 7 and 10 days of age as predictors. At 7 and 10 days old, number of primary feathers had phenotypically positive low correlations (rps) with body weight (BW), whereas number of secondaries had positive medium rps with BW at different ages. Lengths of primary, secondary and tail feathers had highly positive rps with BW traits at different ages. Results of stepwise multiple regressions indicated that BW at 14, 21 and 28 days of age can be predicted using lengths of secondary and tail feathers at 10 days old, number of secondaries at 7 days old and length of secondaries at 7 days old, respectively. Body weight at 35 days of age can be predicted using number of primaries,lengths of secondaries and tail at 10 days of age and number of secondaries at 7 days of age. Higher BWs were obtained in the fast-feathering class from 21 up to 35 days of age than in other groups, whereas the slow-feathering class had the lowest BW. Significant class differences were found for carcass weight, feather weight and dressing% favouring the fast- over the slow-feathering class. Therefore, early feathering rates improved BW at later ages and slaughter traits in Japanese quail.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 344-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tatiany Carvalho dos Santos ◽  
Richard Stephen Gates ◽  
Ilda de Fátima Ferreira Tinôco ◽  
Sérgio Zolnier ◽  
Fernando da Costa Baêta

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the combined effects of air temperature and air velocity on the behavior of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 216 Japanese quail in their initial laying phase were used. Bird behavior was categorized with an ethogram (eat, drink, stop, open wings/shiver, others). The experimental design was a randomized complete block, in a 4x4 factorial arrangement, with four air velocities (0, 1, 2, and 3 m s-1) and air temperatures (17, 23, 29, and 35°C). The behavior “stop” was greater when the birds were subjected to 17°C. At 35°C, a significant reduction (p<0.05) was observed in the behavior “eat” at 0 m s-1, compared with the other velocities. The behaviors of laying quail are similar in the morning and in the afternoon. Quail remain stopped for a longer time under cold stress conditions, at 17°C.


2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mirjana Djukic-Stojcic ◽  
N. Milosevic ◽  
L. Peric ◽  
I. Jajic ◽  
N. Tolimir

In the last years Japanese quail (Conturnix coturnix japonica) is becoming more popular as a source of meat and eggs. Information on egg quality characteristics has been limited mostly to chicken eggs. The aim of this paper is to enhance the knowledge on the quality of quail eggs. In this study external and internal quality traits of quail eggs from three different commercial farms will be presented. For egg mass, shape index, shell thickness, shell mass no significant difference was found between farms. For yolk colour, yolk and albumen mass, statistically significant differences were found between the three farms. The difference in shell breaking strength between farms A and B was not significant and significant differences were found between eggs from farm C. Yolk, albumen and shell percentage were in the same relation as the mass of these parameters. The worst albumen quality was recorded in eggs from farm A. The parameters yolk colour, Haugh Unit and egg proportions (albumen, yolk and shell) do not differ between chicken and quail eggs. On the other hand, parameters which differ are egg mass (about five times smaller at quail eggs), shape index, shell breaking strength and shell thickness, which was to be expected. The external and internal egg quality traits of quail eggs from three farms in Serbia do not differ from the results of quality traits from other countries. On the other hand, this investigation contributes the development of science, because it includes some parameters, which have so far not been published in literature by other researchers from this area.


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