-The objective of this study was to compare fattening performance, carcass traits, and egg quality of Japanese quails with different feather colors (white, dark brown, golden, and wild-type). In the study, 360 one-day-old quail chicks with 4 different feather colors were used as animal material. Quails were fed ad libitum for 42 days to determine fattening performance and carcass traits. To determine egg traits, 48 hens from each group, in a total of 192, were selected and caged according to feather color. Eggs were collected for four consecutive weeks and egg quality characteristics were measured. Different feather colors had a significant effect on live weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and carcass characteristics. Significant differences between the groups were detected for egg weight, specific gravity, shape index, shell weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, albumen index, and yolk index. Japanese quails with all four feather colors can be reared depending on the choice. However, due to lower feed conversion ratio, white-feathered quails may be preferred for meat production purposes. Color variations should be considered when selecting quails.

The development of ascites was investigated in broilers at low versus high altitudes, cold versus normal ambient temperatures (AT), and 3 feeding regimens. One-day-old chicks obtained at sea level were reared at high altitude (highA; 1,720 m; n = 576) with 2 AT treatments, low AT from 3 wk onward at highA (highA/cold) and normal AT from 3 wk onward at highA (highA/norm), or at sea level (normal AT from 3 wk onward at low altitude, lowA/norm; n = 540). Under highA/cold, AT ranged between 16 to 17 degrees C in the fourth week, 17 to 19 degrees C in the fifth week, and 19 to 21 degrees C thereafter. Under highA/norm and lowA/norm, AT was 24 degrees C in the fourth week and ranged between 22 to 24 degrees C thereafter. Broilers in each condition were divided into 3 groups: feed restriction (FR) from 7 to 14 d, FR from 7 to 21 d, and ad libitum (AL). Ascites mortality and related parameters were recorded. Low mortality (0.4%) occurred under lowA/norm conditions. Under highA/norm, mortality was lower in females (8.6%) than in males (13.8%) and was not affected by the feeding regimen. The highA/cold treatment resulted in higher mortality but only in males; it was 44.2% among highA/cold AL-fed males and only about 26% under the FR regimens, suggesting that FR helped some males to better acclimatize to the highA/cold environment and avoid ascites. However, mortality was only 13.3% in AL-fed males at highA/norm and FR did not further reduce the incidence of ascites under these conditions. Thus, avoiding low AT in the poultry house by slight heating was more effective than FR in reducing ascites mortality at highA. Compared with FR from 7 to 14 d, FR from 7 to 21 d did not further reduce mortality and reduced growth. At 47 d, the majority of surviving broilers at highA had high levels of hematocrit and right ventricle:total ventricle weight ratio (>0.29), but they were healthy and reached approximately the same BW as their counterparts at low altitude. This finding may suggest that in broilers reared at highA from day of hatch, the elevation in hematocrit and in right ventricle:total ventricle weight ratio happens gradually and therefore is not necessarily indicative of ascites development.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemented thyme oil extract and thyme water extract, the water soluble fraction of thyme extract, on fattening performance, blood parameters, oxidative stress and DNA damage in Japanese quails. Two hundred sixteen chicks were divided into four groups: control (no antibiotic or thyme extracts (I), fl avomycin (II), thyme oil extract (III) and thyme water extract (IV). Groups II and III received 1 g/kg fl avomycin as an antibiotic and 2.5 ml/kg thyme oil extract, respectively. Birds in group IV received 100 ml/l of thyme water extract in their drinking water. There were no signifi cant differences in liveweight between the treatment groups, but feed intake differed (P<0.01) at 0-5 weeks of age. Results showed that thyme extracts decreased feed consumption during the experiment. Similarly, the survival rate differed signifi cantly (P<0.01) between groups; the lowest was in antibiotic group. The levels of plasma cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein, very low density lipoprotein and alkaline phosphates were similar in the four treatments. The highest rate of total oxidant status and total antioxidant response were found in group III, the lowest rate of DNA damage in the thyme oil (III) and thyme water extracts (IV) groups. It was concluded that supplementing thyme extract products in the diet of quails at the doses studied does not lead to a negative effect on the growth performance of the birds. Supplemented antibiotic caused an elevation in the oxidative stress index and in DNA damage.

No abstract

-The present study was conducted to determine the effects of supplemented juniper berry (Juniperus communis) on fattening performance and some carcass traits of quails. A total of 150 one-day-old Japanese quail chicks were randomly divided into five groups (one control and four treated groups) with three replicates. Four different juniper berry levels (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2%) and a control treatment (0%) were added to the diet. Juniper berry supplementation to the diets initiated at the end of the 1st week and sustained for seven weeks. Live weight, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio during the trial and some carcass traits after slaughter were determined. Juniper berry supplementation in the diet during seven weeks of growing period significantly increased body weight, cumulative feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of the treated groups. Carcass weight, carcass yield, and breast yield were also significantly increased by supplemented juniper berry. No significant difference was observed between viability of different groups. Supplementation of 0.5-1% juniper berry in quail diets has positive impacts on fattening performance and carcass traits.

No abstract

-The objective of this investigation was to determine the differences between normal and PSE (pale, soft, exudative) turkey breast meat in terms of chemical composition, pH, color, myoglobin, and drip loss. Pale and normal skinless, boneless turkey breast fillets were taken from a poultry slaughterhouse in Van/Turkey at about 2-3 h postmortem. Spectrocolorimetry (CIE L*a*b*), pH, protein, ash, dry matter, lipid, myoglobin, and drip loss were measured in normal and pale color turkey breast muscle. The normal breast meat had significantly lower L*, a*, and b* values in comparison with the pale breast meat. Myoglobin concentration and pH were significantly higher in the normal breast meat compared with that of the pale breast meat. Protein content was found to be significantly lower for the pale group compared with the normal group. No significant difference was found in ash, dry matter, and total lipid content between normal and pale breast meat. Drip loss was significantly affected by breast meat color groups at days 1, 2, 3, and 4 postmortem. Pale, soft, exudative turkey breast meat can lead to differences in the chemical composition and shelf life of the product.

-This study was conducted to compare live weight, feed intake, feed conversion, mortality rate, and some carcass characteristics of Japanese quails reared under organic and conventional conditions. A total of 180 one-day-old quail chicks were randomly divided into six groups -Conventional, consuming conventional feed ad libitum; Control (C), consuming organic feed ad libitum; C+P, consuming organic feed ad libitum + pasture; 80C+P, consuming 80% of control + pasture; 70C+P, consuming 70% of control + pasture; and 50C+P, consuming 50% of control + pasture -with three replicates. The conventional group was kept for 6 weeks, while the control, C+P, 80C+P, 70C+P, and 50C+P groups were reared until the end of 10 weeks of age. Raising systems significantly affected live weight, feed intake, and feed conversion. The analysis showed that the meat yield of quail raised in organic conditions had better results than those raised in conventional conditions in terms of appearance, color, aroma, and flavor. The group consuming 50% of control plus pasture was more advantageous than the other organic groups and the conventional group at the end of the 10-week fattening period. The organic production system can be a good system to meet the demand of consumers who seek more natural products.