Ramankevich Anastasiya, Wengerska Karolina, Rokicka Kinga, Drabik Kamil, Kasperek Kornel, Ziemiańska Agnieszka, Batkowska Justyna
Student Research Group of Poultry Biology, Breeding and Management, University of Life Sciences, 13 Akademicka St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, University of Life Sciences, 13 Akademicka St., 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Aug 2;12(15):1963. doi: 10.3390/ani12151963.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the indicators of the behavioural and physiological welfare of Japanese quails () as possible responses to the enrichment of the birds' habitat. The study sample consisted of 280 Japanese quails (224 ♀ and 56 ♂, respectively). Birds of 5 weeks of age were randomly divided into seven equally sized groups and then divided into replication subgroups (four per group, 10 birds in each replication). Birds were maintained in 0.5 m cages with unrestricted access to water and food. The experimental factor was the presence or absence of enrichment of the birds' cages: the nest box, scratcher, plastic corrugated pipe (tunnel), limestone cubes, sandbathing box and feeder box with a drilled cover. Quails were subjected to behavioural tests (tonic immobility and open field tests) and, after 6 weeks, blood samples were taken from them to determine their biochemical indices as well as their cortisol and corticosterone levels. An additional element was the assessment of fertility indices. The presence of enrichment was shown to reduce behavioural disturbances in Japanese quails. This study also found that the colour and shape of an object were very important regarding the birds' interest in it. Additionally, individuals kept in enriched cages, who were allowed to exhibit their natural behavioural patterns, had lower stress levels.
本研究的目的是评估日本鹌鹑行为和生理福利指标，作为对鸟类栖息地丰富化的可能反应。研究样本包括280只日本鹌鹑（分别为224只♀和56只♂）。5周龄的鸟类被随机分为七个大小相等的组，然后再分为重复亚组（每组四个，每个重复中有10只鸟）。鸟类饲养在0.5米的笼子里，可自由获取水和食物。实验因素是鸟类笼子是否有丰富设施：巢箱、扒抓器、塑料波纹管（隧道）、石灰石方块、沙浴箱和带钻孔盖的喂食箱。对鹌鹑进行行为测试（强直静止和旷场试验），6周后采集它们的血样，以测定其生化指标以及皮质醇和皮质酮水平。另一个要素是对繁殖指标的评估。结果表明，丰富设施的存在减少了日本鹌鹑的行为干扰。本研究还发现，物体的颜色和形状对于鸟类对其的兴趣非常重要。此外，饲养在有丰富设施笼子里、能够表现其自然行为模式的个体，压力水平较低。
