الفهرس | Only 14 pages are availabe for public view |
Abstract The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of social stress on Japanese quail performance and behaviour through 3 experiments. The objectives of the first experiment were to study the effect of cage versus pen, the combined effect of floor area and group size on: laying performance, reproductive organs, adrenal weight and plasma corticosterone in both male and female quail as well as plasma testosterone in male. For experiment 2 the objective was to investigate the aspects of the welfare of caged-housed female Japanese quail by determining the effects of different group sizes and floor areas on laying performance, mortality, behaviour activity and stress response (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio: H/L) during the first four weeks after housing. For experiment 3 the objective was as in Exp.2, but to determine the effects of social stress on laying performance and stress response (H/L) ratio after maturation. |