Selected haematological and biochemical indices and behaviour patterns were monitored in cage-housed pheasant hens during the peak-of-lay egg laying period. Lower counts of monocytes (p = 0.035) and concentrations of plasma biopterin (p = 0.020) and higher concentrations of plasma neopterin (p = 0.005) and plasma phosphorus (p = 0.025) were found in spectacles-fitted pheasant hens kept in conventional cages compared to non-spectacled hens kept in enriched cages. Even more pronounced effects of the housing system were revealed by analysis of the behaviour of pheasant hens: spectacles-fitted pheasant hens kept in conventional cages exhibited higher occurrences of movement (p = 0.045), stereotyped behaviour (p = 0.039), and aggression (p = 0.004), and lower rates of feeding (p = 0.009), drinking (p < 0.001), defecation (p = 0.038), preening (p = 0.013), and feather pecking (p < 0.001). Our results show that the relatively easy and inexpensive enrichment of the cage environment (two perches, a simple hideout) where breeding groups of common pheasants are housed during the laying period can significantly contribute to the health and welfare (including the ability to express natural behaviour patterns) of pheasants kept in commercial cage systems.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Ten state wildlife management agencies in the United States, including six within the Southeast, have delayed their spring wild turkey () hunting seasons since 2017 by five or more days to address concerns related to the potential effects of hunting on wild turkey seasonal productivity. One hypothesis posits that if the spring hunting season is too early, there may be insufficient time for males to breed hens before being harvested, thus leading to reduced seasonal productivity. We conducted an experiment to determine whether delaying the wild turkey hunting season by 2 weeks in south-middle Tennessee would affect various reproductive rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Effect of a Diet Supplemented with Organic Minerals and l-Carnitine on Egg Production and Chemical Composition and on Some Blood Traits of Pheasant Hens ().
Animals (Basel)
November 2023
Institute of Animal Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.
The study aimed to determine the effect of replacing 75% of inorganic calcium, iron, zinc, and copper salts with organic forms (glycine chelates of these elements) with or without the addition of l-carnitine on some reproductive traits and the blood lipid and mineral profile, as well as mineral and fatty acid profile of pheasant egg yolk. The study was performed on three groups of pheasant hens using glycine chelates with calcitriol (group II) or analogical treatment with the addition of l-carnitine at the level of 100 mg/kg of feed (group III) instead of Ca, Fe, Cu, and Zn salts (control). The replacement of inorganic forms with glycinates contributed to an increase in the number of laid eggs with a concomitant lower share of rejected eggs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe profitability of pheasants breeding is influenced by many factors, but eggs quality is considered as the backbone for successful pheasant breeding. The objective of this study was to determine and compare various quality characteristics (physical, morphological, and mechanical) of eggs from three pheasant subspecies: common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus colchicus), Mongolian pheasant (Phasianus colchicus mongolicus), and black pheasant (Phasianus colchicus vs. tenebrosus).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe influence of selection in wild pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) breeding on reproduction and the involvement of the chemerin system.
Poult Sci
January 2023
French National Centre for Scientific Research , French Horse and Riding Institute, National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, INRAE, Tours University, Physiology of Reproduction and Behaviour, UMR85, 37380, Nouzilly, France. Electronic address:
Article Synopsis
- Chemerin, a hormone produced by fat and liver tissue, is also generated in the reproductive tract of hens, particularly in the magnum, and accumulates in egg whites, playing a crucial role in egg fertilization and embryo development.
- Research using pheasants shows that different breeds (F11 and F22) have varied reproductive characteristics and that higher amounts of chemerin in F11 are linked to better hatching rates, while lower chemerin levels in F22 correlate with higher rates of unfertilized eggs.
- The findings suggest that chemerin and its receptors are conserved across species and may serve as a potential marker for assessing egg fertility and embryo development.
The effect of sex on the quality of meat from farmed pheasants (Phasianus colchicus).
Anim Sci J
October 2020
Fur-Bearing Animal Breeding and Game Management, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland.
The present study aimed to investigate the influence of sex on the quality of meat from farmed pheasants. Male (roosters, n = 18) and female (hens, n = 18) pheasants were slaughtered at 25 weeks of age. The breast muscles (Pectoralis major) were cut out from chilled carcasses and analyzed to determine the proximate chemical composition, fatty acid profile, and physicochemical and sensory properties of meat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!