Productive performance, thermal and blood parameters of Japanese laying quails at different cage stocking densities

Venucia De Diniella Dos Santos Bourdon,Liana Bezerra Dias De Lima,Danilo Vargas Gonçalves Vieira,Gilzelle Maria Da Luz Silva,Sandro Estevan Moron,Jossiel Dos Santos Da Cruz,Rannyelle Gomes Souza,Kenia Rodrigues Ferreira,Tadia Emanuele Stivanin,Fernando Guilherme Perazzo Costa,Ricardo Romão Guerra,Roberta Marçal Gomes Vieira Vaz,Thalita Rodrigues De Oliveira,Josimar Santos De Almeida,Everton José Do Nascimento Oliveira

doi:10.33448/rsd-v10i3.13686

Venucia De Diniella Dos Santos Bourdon, Liana Bezerra Dias De Lima + Show 13 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i3.13686

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Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different stocking densities on the performance, eggshell quality, surface body temperature and hematological parameters of Japanese laying quails based on physiological indicators of animal welfare. Two hundred and thirty seven-week-old Japanese quails were used in this experiment. The quails were completely randomized to four stocking densities: 112.2 (T1), 102 (T2), 93.5 (T3), and 86.31 (T4) cm²/quail and five replicates each. Hematological parameters were analyzed as a 4x4 factorial design (stocking density X time) over four periods of blood sampling (25, 50, 75, and 100 days). To obtain the body surface temperature (Ts, °C) three thermograms (head, core and shin) were captured from each repetition per plot (2 repetitions per experimental plot) every 25 days (25, 50, 75, and 100 days). Feed intake, feed conversion per egg mass, feed conversion per dozen eggs, egg mass, egg production rate, and eggshell quality-related variables were not affected by treatments. However, egg weight (p = 0.023) and core temperature (p = 0.003) were influenced by different cage stocking densities. The heterophil/lymphocyte ratio increased (p = 0.01) with increasing time and stocking density. The mean corpuscular volume (p = 0.0001) as well as the total leukocyte count (p = 0.001) increased until the third blood sampling period (75 days) and then decreased in the last period. Different stocking densities do not interfere with the performance and eggshell quality of Japanese quails. However, the hematological parameters and head temperature are affected by different cage stocking densities and time.

Highlights

The short reproductive cycle of Japanese quails is one reason for the growing domestic production
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different stocking densities on the performance, eggshell quality, surface temperature of the quail regions and hematological parameters of Japanese laying quails based on physiological indicators of animal welfare
Quail performance There was no significant effect of stocking density (Table 3) on feed intake (p=0.974), feed conversion per egg mass (p=0.647), feed conversion per dozen eggs (p=0.937), egg mass (p=0.146), egg production rate (p=0.157), eggshell thickness (p=0.256), specific gravity (p=0.552), and eggshell weight (p=0.509)

Summary

Introduction

The short reproductive cycle of Japanese quails is one reason for the growing domestic production. Farmers resort to increasing stocking density in order to intensify production and profitability per area and reduce costs with equipment and cages. This common practice can lead to reduced quail performance caused by competition for space and food (Leandro et al, 2005). High-density stocking associated with climatic challenges, such as high temperatures, reduces livestock performance (Guimarães et al, 2014). Some authors with Albino et al (2014) state that birds' ability to direct energy towards maintenance, weight gain, and egg production is directly associated with the environmental conditions to which they are subjected. Stressful situations, whether environmental, pathogenic, or spatial, may affect this ability

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