Description of a New Eimeria Species (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) Responsible for Clinical Coccidiosis in Commercial Chukar Partridge (Alectoris chukar)

Coccidiosis is a disease that limits the production and marketing of gallinaceous birds in North America, especially quails, pheasants and chukar partridges. Virtually no research has been conducted in South America on the causative agents of diseases among these birds, including coccidia. The aim of this work was to make first observations on Eimeria spp. in the chukar partridge Alectoris chukar and the grey quail Coturnix coturnix, which are reared for meat in Brazil. Fecal and tissue samples were collected from commercial farms and were examined for oocysts, gross and microscopic lesions or endogenous stages. From this examination, it was found that partridges raised in Brazil did not have any visible infection. However, grey quails presented mild infection and two Eimeria species that had previously been described in other birds were identified.

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Ontogeny of aerial righting and wing flapping in juvenile birds

Biology Letters ◽

10.1098/rsbl.2014.0497 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 20140497 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Dennis Evangelista ◽

Sharlene Cam ◽

Tony Huynh ◽

Igor Krivitskiy ◽

Robert Dudley

Keyword(s):

Force Production ◽

Vertical Force ◽

Alectoris Chukar ◽

Avian Flight ◽

Body Roll ◽

Chukar Partridge

Mechanisms of aerial righting in juvenile chukar partridge ( Alectoris chukar ) were studied from hatching to 14 days-post-hatching (dph). Asymmetric movements of the wings were used from 1 to 8 dph to effect progressively more successful righting behaviour via body roll. Following 8 dph, wing motions transitioned to bilaterally symmetric flapping that yielded aerial righting via nose-down pitch, along with substantial increases in vertical force production during descent. Ontogenetically, the use of such wing motions to effect aerial righting precedes both symmetric flapping and a previously documented behaviour in chukar (i.e. wing-assisted incline running) hypothesized to be relevant to incipient flight evolution in birds. These findings highlight the importance of asymmetric wing activation and controlled aerial manoeuvres during bird development and are potentially relevant to understanding the origins of avian flight.

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Anatomical and histological structure of the tongue and histochemical characteristics of the lingual salivary glands in the Chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar, Gray 1830)

British Poultry Science ◽

10.1080/00071668.2012.700507 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 53 (3) ◽

pp. 307-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

S. Erdoğan ◽

H. Sağsöz ◽

M.E. Akbalik

Keyword(s):

Salivary Glands ◽

Histological Structure ◽

Alectoris Chukar ◽

Chukar Partridge

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Nutritional value of breast and thigh muscle of chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) under intensive fattening conditions

Acta Veterinaria Brno ◽

10.2754/avb201281030251 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 81 (3) ◽

pp. 251-255 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Radovan Jůzl ◽

Pavel Suchý ◽

Eva Straková ◽

Lucie Rusníková ◽

Miroslav Macháček ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Chemical Analysis ◽

Crude Protein ◽

Nutritional Value ◽

Live Weight ◽

Thigh Muscle ◽

Carcass Yield ◽

Alectoris Chukar ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Gross Energy ◽

Chukar Partridge

The aim of our study was to evaluate the nutritional value of the breast and thigh muscle of chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar) under intensive fattening conditions. Commercial feeding mixtures for broilers were used. Live weight of 60 partridges (birds were not sexed) was controlled during 90 days of fattening. After the fattening was finished, 30 birds were selected to monitor the carcass yield. Breast and thigh muscle were used for chemical analysis of crude protein (Kjeldahl method), total lipids (fat analyser ANKOMXT10), ash (Muffle furnace - 550° C) and gross energy (calorimetry). Average values of live weight were increasing in the course of fattening; at the end of fattening the live weight reached 0.452 kg. The carcass yield, breast muscle yield and thigh yield were evaluated (73.72%, 18.09%, 20.80%, respectively). Chemical analysis showed a highly significant difference (P ≤ 0.01) between the breast and thigh muscle for crude protein, fat, ash and gross energy. The ash content demonstrated a significant difference (P ≤ 0.05) between the breast and thigh muscle. This study brings new data on the nutritional value of the meat of chukar partridge that can be used for reccomendation of a suitable feeding mixture.

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