El-Tarabany Mahmoud Salah
Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, El-Zeraa Str. 114, 44511, Zagazig, Egypt.
Int J Biometeorol. 2016 Jul;60(7):957-64. doi: 10.1007/s00484-015-1088-5. Epub 2015 Oct 21.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) level on productive parameters, welfare, and immunity in Japanese quails. One hundred and eighty (180) birds of Japanese quail, 14 weeks old, were used. Birds were divided randomly into three equal groups, control (at low THI, less than 70), H1 (at moderate THI, 70-75), and H2 (at high THI, 76-80). Birds in the control group had higher body weight (281.2 g, p = 0.001), egg mass (745 g, p = 0.001), fertility (85.4 %, p = 0.039), hatchability (80.4 %, p = 0.001), and immune response titer to Newcastle disease virus (p = 0.031), compared with H2 group. Furthermore, the thermoneutral group had higher internal egg quality score [albumen height (5.14 mm, p = 0.001), yolk height (10.88 mm, p = 0.015), yolk index (42.32 %, p = 0.039), and Haugh unit (92.67, p = 0.001)]. Nevertheless, there were no significant differences in fertility percentage, immune response, and corticosterone concentration between control and H1 group. Birds in the H2 group had the lowest total leucocytic count and lymphocyte percentage (p = 0.001 and 0.020, respectively) but the highest H/L ratio (0.83, p = 0.001). Corticosterone concentration was lower in control and H1 groups (5.49 and 6.41 ng/mL, respectively, p = 0.024) than that in H2 group. Japanese quail exposed to heat stress revealed drop in production and immunological parameters, as well as a detrimental effects on welfare. Thus, practical approaches might be used to reduce the detrimental effects of greater THI level.
本研究的目的是调查温湿度指数(THI)水平对日本鹌鹑生产性能参数、福利和免疫力的影响。使用了180只14周龄的日本鹌鹑。将鹌鹑随机分为三组,对照组(低THI,低于70)、H1组(中等THI,70 - 75)和H2组(高THI,76 - 80)。与H2组相比,对照组鹌鹑的体重更高(281.2克,p = 0.001)、产蛋量更高(745克,p = 0.001)、受精率更高(85.4%,p = 0.039)、孵化率更高(80.4%,p = 0.001)以及对新城疫病毒的免疫反应滴度更高(p = 0.031)。此外,热中性组的蛋内部品质评分更高[蛋白高度(5.14毫米,p = 0.001)、蛋黄高度(10.88毫米,p = 0.015)、蛋黄指数(42.32%,p = 0.039)和哈夫单位(92.67,p = 0.001)]。然而,对照组和H1组在受精率、免疫反应和皮质酮浓度方面没有显著差异。H2组鹌鹑的白细胞总数和淋巴细胞百分比最低(分别为p = 0.001和0.020),但H/L比值最高(0.83,p = 0.001)。对照组和H1组的皮质酮浓度(分别为5.49和6.41纳克/毫升,p = 0.024)低于H2组。暴露于热应激的日本鹌鹑生产性能和免疫参数下降,并且对福利有不利影响。因此,可以采用实际方法来减少较高THI水平的不利影响。