Feed withdrawal coupled with classical conditioning modifies the behavioral, physiological, and productive traits in Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of different feed withdrawal (FW) and ad libitum dietary protocols on the behavioral, physiological, and productive traits in Japanese quail (Coturnix Coturnix japonica). A total of 192 chicks were randomly allocated to 4 treatment groups (Control, 8-hrs fasting, 12-hrs fasting, and 16-hrs fasting) from the 3rd to the 5th weeks of age. Three replicates were performed for each treatment, with 16 chicks per replicate. Birds were conditioned to the FW-related hunger by introducing an alarm cue. A simple ethogram was created, and the treatment group, model and time of observation were used as fixed factors. The temporal conditioning by adding an alarm cue improved the behavioral responses of birds prior to the start of the FW. In addition, quails reared in the FW groups exhibited significantly lower physiological indicators of stress, i.e., lower corticosterone serum levels and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, than the control group. Histological degenerations were prominent in the 12- and 16-hrs fasting groups. Both body weight (BW) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in quails did not significantly differ between treatment groups (p = 1.00 and p = 0.55, respectively) at the end of the rearing period, but those in the 12- and 16-hrs fasting groups showed lower carcass weight. Quails in the different FW groups showed an improvement in meat quality parameters than those in the control group. Overall, FW either for 8 or 12 hrs. a day could be used as a promising dietary strategy in Japanese quails.