Showing papers on "Coturnix published in 2023"

The Effect of In Ovo Administration of Rosemary Essential Oil on Hatchability, Relative Hatching Weight, and Embryo Mortality Rate in Japanese Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Abstract: Simple Summary In poultry, supplementing diets with essential oils has gained much interest. It has been established that supplementing avian diets and water with rosemary essential oil improves growth performance. Furthermore, although it is known that the nutritional status of the egg is sufficient to ensure embryo development until hatching, growth performance during and after hatching is further enhanced by in ovo supply of neonatal exogenous nutrients. The in ovo technique consists of injecting exogenous substances inside hatching eggs to improve embryonic development, hatching, and post-hatch parameters. To the best of our knowledge, few studies have explored the effect of in ovo injection of essential oils. The objective of this study was to explore the effects of in ovo injection of different concentrations of rosemary essential oil on embryonic development and hatching parameters in Japanese quail. The findings indicated that the in ovo injection of rosemary essential oil at a low concentration (1 µL/egg) was beneficial for improving hatching compared to 3 µL/egg, which proved to be toxic to the quail embryo. However, it should be noted that both treatments increased the relative weight of chicks at hatching compared to control groups. Abstract This study aimed to determine the effects of air sac injection of rosemary essential oil at different concentrations in ovo in quail eggs on hatching rate, relative chick weight at hatching, and embryonic mortality rate. A total of 1060 Japanese quail eggs were divided into four groups: negative control (non-injected), positive control (30 µL sterile distilled water/egg), and two treated groups with 1 and 3 µL oil/egg, respectively. The concentration of 3 µL/egg showed a toxic effect on embryonic development, as revealed by the significantly (p = 0.015) higher post-injection mortality rate (18.21%) compared to 1 µL/egg with 8.3%. Furthermore, hatchability was significantly increased (p = 0.0001) with 1 µL/egg compared to 3 µL/egg with 69.1% and 44.48%, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the concentration of 1 µL/egg and the control groups (p = 0.822). Both l and 3 µL essential oil/egg significantly enhanced (p = 0.0001) relative chick weight at hatching by 67.14% and 70.32%, respectively, compared to the control groups. In conclusion, injecting eggs with 1 µL oil/egg showed positive effects both on hatching and relative chick weight. The concentration of 3 µL/egg was revealed to be toxic, with dramatic effects on embryonic survival.

Assessment of variations in productive performance of two different plumage color varieties of Japanese quail and their reciprocal crosses

Abstract: Abstract This study aimed to detect the phenotypic differences between the brown (BB) and white (WW) feathered quails and their reciprocal crosses (BW and WB) over two successive generations. The WW and cross quails, especially the BW, had the heaviest body weights, throughout the studied period, with significant variations between the two studied generations ( P <0.05). Moreover, the WW and BW possessed the largest egg production during the F1, while in the F2, the BB had superiority among the studied quails with a prominent superiority of the F2 over the F1 ( P <0.05). However, the F1 had higher egg weights than F2 with superiority of WW quails compared to the others ( P <0.05). Also, the WW quails had the lowest lipid contents of the eggs. These phenotypic variations among the studied quails might be preliminarily explained by the results of the analyzed microsatellite markers despite the few markers used. The high variability among the BW and WB quails might be due to the larger number of alleles ( N A and N e ) and the lower values of F IS with low heterozygosity levels ( H O and H e ). Moreover, the BW and BB were the closest, while WB and WW were the farthest because of the high and low genetic identities and the high and low genetic distance between them, respectively. So the obtained results might introduce an initial scientific basis for evaluating and employing the genetic properties of BB, WW, BW, and WB quails in further genetic improvement program, and more microsatellite markers are recommended.

Post-hatching developmental changes in the adrenal gland of the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica): Histological, immunohistochemical, and electron microscopic studies.

Abstract: The adrenal glands are paired abdominal endocrine organs vital to the bird's health. The present research aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of the histological, ultrastructural, and immunohistochemical investigations of the adrenal gland in Japanese quail during the post hatching period. The current study was performed on 21 healthy Japanese quail chicks at different post hatching periods. Our results showed the adrenal gland is surrounded by a connective tissue capsule, which consists of dense collagen fibers containing large blood vessels, chromaffin cells, autonomic ganglia, fibroblasts, and migrating Schwann cells. The zonation of the adrenal gland is composed of a subcapsular layer, a peripheral zone, and a central zone, which gets more pronounced with age. At the ultrastructural level, the interrenal cells take the steroid-secreting cells characters; they have varying amounts of lipid droplets and abundant mitochondria. Adrenal medullary chromaffin cells showed positive immunoreactivity to the NSE. With increasing age, the chromaffin tissue's Sox10 immunoreactivity increased. β-catenin is expressed within the plasmalemma and the cytoplasm of the interrenal and chromaffin cells and its reactivity increased with age, especially in the chromaffin cells. Our results indicate the adrenal gland undergoes significant morphological changes during the postnatal life. Overall, the postnatal period is an important time for the development and maturation of the adrenal glands.

Withania somnifera inhibits photorefractoriness which triggers neuronal apoptosis in both pre-optic and paraventricular hypothalamic area of Coturnix coturnix japonica: involvement of oxidative stress induced p53 dependent Caspase-3 mediated low immunoreactivity of estrogen receptor alpha.

Abstract: Light has a very important function in the regulation of the normal physiology including the neuroendocrine system, biological rhythms, cognitive behavior, etc. The variation in photoperiod acts as a stressor due to imbalance in endogenous hormones. Estrogen and its receptors ER alpha and beta play a vital role in the control of stress response in birds. The study investigates the estrogenic effects of a well-known medicinal plant Withania somnifera (WS), mediated by estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) in the hypothalamic pre-optic area (POA) and paraventricular nuclei (PVN). Further the study elucidates its anti-oxidants and anti-apoptotic activities in the brain of Japanese quail. To validate this hypothesis, mature male quails were exposed to long day length for 3 months and then transferred to intermediate day length to become photorefractory (PR) while controls were still continued under long daylength. Supplementation of WS root extract in PR quail increases plasma estrogen and lowers corticosterone. Further, in PR quail the variation in light downregulates immunoreactivity of ERα, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities i.e. superoxide dismutase and catalase in the brain. Neuronal apoptosis was observed in the POA and PVN of PR quail as indicated by the abundant expression of Caspase-3 and p53 which reduces after the administration of WS root extract. The neuronal population also found to decrease in PR although it increased in WS administered quails. Further, the study concluded that change in photoperiod from 3 months exposure of 16L: 8D to 13.5L: 10.5D directly activates neuronal apoptosis via expression of Caspase3 and p53 expression in the brain and increases neuronal and gonadal oxidative stress while WS root extract reverses them via enhanced estrogen and its receptor ERα expression in the hypothalamic pre-optic and PVN area of Japanese quail.

Effects of maternal methionine supplementation on the response of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) chicks to heat stress.

Abstract: This study investigated the hypothesis that methionine supplementation of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) hens can reduce the effects of oxidative stress and improve the performance of the offspring exposed to heat stress during growth. For that, the quail hens were fed with three diets related to the methionine supplementation: methionine-deficient diet (Md); diet supplemented with the recommended methionine level (Met1); and diet supplemented with methionine above the recommended level (Met2). Their chicks were identified, weighed, and housed according to the maternal diet group from 1 to 14 days of age. At 15 days of age, chicks were weighed and divided into two groups: thermoneutral ambient (constant temperature of 23 °C) and intermittent heat stress ambient (daily exposure to 34 °C for 6 h). Methionine-supplemented (Met1 and Met2) hens had higher egg production, better feed conversion ratio, higher hatchability of total and fertile eggs, and offspring with higher body weight. Supplemented (Met1 and Met2) hens showed greater expression of glutathione synthase (GSS) and methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA) genes, greater total antioxidant capacity, and lower lipid peroxidation in the liver. The offspring of hens fed the Met2 diet had lower death rate (1-14 days), higher weight at 15 days of age, weight gain, and better feed conversion ratio from 1 to 14 days of age. Among chicks reared under heat stress, the progeny of methionine-supplemented hens had higher weight at 35 days, weight gain, expression of GSS, MSRA, and thermal shock protein 70 (HSP70) genes, and total antioxidant capacity in the liver, as well as lower heterophil/lymphocyte ratio. Positive correlations between expression of glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) and MSRA genes in hens and offspring were observed. Our results show that maternal methionine supplementation contributes to offspring development and performance in early stages and that, under conditions of heat stress during growth, chicks from methionine-supplemented hens respond better to hot environmental conditions than chicks from non-supplemented hens. Supplementation of quail hens diets with methionine promoted activation of different metabolic pathways in offspring subjected to stress conditions.

Changes in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) blood gases and electrolytes in response to multigenerational heat stress

Abstract: The average surface temperature is predicted to rise 0.5 to 6˚C by the year 2100. When Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), a source of protein for many, are subjected to heat stress, their blood acid-base equilibrium and ability to regulate electrolytes may change. This disequilibrium may influence egg-shell quality, enzyme functions, and synthesis of tissue proteins. To determine effects of multi-generation heat stress on Japanese quail, the following treatments were applied (1) control (TN, non-sibling random mating at thermoneutral temperature [22.2˚C]); (2) thermoneutral siblings (22.2˚C, TNS); (3) heat stress (HS, non-sibling random mating at 31.1˚C); and (4) heat stressed siblings (HSS, siblings of TNS with high feed conversion ratios (FCR), 31.1˚C). Body weights (BW), blood gases, and electrolytes of quail were measured during the first 4 hours (acute) and after 3 weeks (chronic) of heat exposure (31.1˚C) in generation 10. ANOVA was used to determine statistical significance at P≤0.05. Models included treatments, length of exposure, sex, and their interactions. Results showed that acute and chronic heat stress did not have a clear effect on blood electrolytes, acid-base regulation, and oxygen transport. However, acute HSS males or females were significantly different than chronic TN males in BW, PCO2, PO2, sO2, and Na+. Chronic HS males and females did not have significantly different blood electrolytes, acid-base regulation, and oxygen transport than chronic HSS males and females. Thus, selection for low FCR in heat stress at 31.1˚C did not incur a fitness advantage when considering these parameters. Sexually mature males had significantly higher levels of hematocrit and hemoglobin compared to sexually immature quail and sexually mature females. Future studies using higher temperatures (32 to 34˚C) could inform producers when to expect significant physiological changes in quail, lending to adaptions of feeding regiments according to environmental temperature and age.

The protective role of natural coumarins derivatives and anpro supplement against aflatoxin b1 pollution in the quails coturnix japonica diet

Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the potential of Coumarin C1 and C2 derivatives from apple seeds and Anpro supplementation to neutralize aflatoxin B1 in the quail diet., 3weeks -old quails were distributed into five-treatment each has 10 birds randomly. First treatment, negative control, in which the quails received not contaminated diet. Second treatment positive control the birds were fed on diet contaminated with AFB1 (0.5 mg/kg). Third treatment the diet was contaminated with AFB1 (0.5 mg/kg). And treated with Anpro at 1 g/kg. Fourth treatment diets were contaminated with AFB1 and treated with C1 at 250 mg/kg, fifth treatment diets were contaminated with aflatoxin B1 and treated with C2 at 250 mg/kg. Result showed contamination diet with AFB1 caused reduction in PVC, RBC, Hb, blood glucose, total blood protein, and SOD and causes significant elevations in WBC and uric acid therefore biochemical variables can be boosted by adding Anpro, C1 and C2 to the diet contaminated with AFB1. For that, Anpro, C1, and C2 can serve as beneficial dietary supplements to the quail in order to counteract AFB1's detrimental effects.