RESUMEN
1. The welfare and carcase quality implications of stunning/killing 7-week-old Japanese quail with either an electric current, 90% argon in air or a mixture of 30% carbon dioxide and 60% argon in air were investigated in 3 separate experiments. 2. The results showed that exposure of quail to either argon or the carbon dioxide-argon mixture resulted in loss of posture on average at 9 and 8 s respectively. In both gas mixtures, convulsions started 6 s after the loss of posture and the duration of clonic phase (wing flapping) did not differ significantly between the 2 gas mixtures. However, the duration of the tonic phase was found to be slightly longer with the carbon dioxide argon mixture than with argon alone (P<0.05). 3. The absence of a positive response to toe pinching performed soon after the loss of posture indicated that the birds became unconscious and insensible to pain before the onset of convulsions. 4. Carcase dissection showed that, in comparison with the electrical stunning, gas stunning/killing of quail in transport containers eliminated the problem of broken bones and significantly reduced haemorrhaging in breast and leg muscles.
Asunto(s)
Mataderos , Bienestar del Animal , Coturnix , Carne/normas , Mataderos/normas , Animales , Argón/administración & dosificación , Dióxido de Carbono/administración & dosificación , ElectrochoqueRESUMEN
1. The egg yolk: albumen (Y:A) ratio during the laying year was investigated in a commercial strain (Hisex) when natural zeolite was added to a layer's diet. 2. Dietary natural zeolite (NZ) increased both egg weight and albumen weight, while yolk weight was not significantly affected. 3. The Y:A ratio was less (more albumen) in eggs laid by hens on zeolite treatments. It was concluded that by feeding NZ it is possible to alter the Y:A ratio.
Asunto(s)
Pollos , Clara de Huevo , Yema de Huevo/efectos de los fármacos , Ovalbúmina/análisis , Zeolitas/farmacología , Animales , Dieta , Femenino , Óvulo/efectos de los fármacos , Zeolitas/administración & dosificaciónRESUMEN
1. The relationships between egg weight or age of breeder quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and 1-d-old chick weight were determined. 2. Significant correlations were found between egg weight and chick weight (R2 = 0.32) and age and chick weight (R2 = 0.86). Thus, hatching weight was influenced more by the age of breeder quails than by egg weight as such. 3. Chick weight was accurately predicted by the use of age as a single independent variable; egg weight did not explain any further variation.
Asunto(s)
Peso Corporal , Coturnix/fisiología , Huevos , Codorniz/fisiología , Envejecimiento/fisiología , Animales , Animales Recién Nacidos , FemeninoRESUMEN
An experiment was conducted with 546 Japanese breeder quail to determine the effect of age and egg weight on day-old chick weight over a 16-wk reproduction period. Weight of chicks hatched from the same or different size eggs was found to be affected by parental age. The largest increase in chick weight occurred after 10 wk of age. It was found that egg weight did not affect the hatching weight if egg weight was above 11 g.
Asunto(s)
Peso Corporal , Coturnix/fisiología , Huevos , Codorniz/fisiología , Factores de Edad , Animales , FemeninoRESUMEN
This study was conducted with 840 eggs from commercial breeder hens to determine relationship of parents' age, egg weight, and to oviposition time and shell quality and day-old chick weight. Results indicate that eggs laid in the afternoon were significantly smaller with significantly better shell quality than those laid in the morning (64.1 vs. 64.5 g and specific gravity of 1.077 vs. 1.074, respectively). Also, chicks from afternoon eggs tended to weigh significantly less than those from morning eggs. However, the egg weight: chick weight ratio was not significantly affected by oviposition time; it was the same for morning and afternoon eggs (70.7 vs. 70.1%). The linear relationships between egg weight, age, and chick weight or between egg weight and chick weight were strong (R2 = .78 to .91), but the associations between specific gravity and chick weight were weaker (R2 = .28 to .24). It was possible to use both parents' age and egg weight or egg weight alone to predict chick weight for chicks hatched from morning and afternoon eggs.
Asunto(s)
Envejecimiento , Peso Corporal , Pollos/fisiología , Cáscara de Huevo , Oviposición , Animales , Femenino , Factores de TiempoRESUMEN
An experiment was carried out with Japanese quail to study the effect of sex on carcase characteristics. The carcase yield was significantly greater in males than females, although the carcase weight was similar. The breast and legs constituted a major proportion of body weight, being 34.6 and 32.1% for males and females respectively, but their yields were not influenced by sex. The proportionate yield of liver and alimentary tract was greater in females than in males. Both part weight and part yield could be accurately predicted by body weight.