Chemosensory deficits are associated
with reduced weight gain in newly hatched chicks

Porter, Richard H.; Picard, Michel; Arnould, Cécile; Tallet, Céline

doi:10.1051/animres:2002024

Cited by 8 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…It could first be hypothesized that the blockade of the nares with dental cement did not fully deprive birds from their sense of smell. This is however contradicted by the facts that this method has been validated in previous studies in birds [51, 81, 82] and that our behavioral tests with acetic acid confirmed the complete lack of reaction to this very strong olfactory stimulus.…”

Section: The Role Of Olfaction In the Control Of Reproductioncontrasting

confidence: 87%

The underestimated role of olfaction in avian reproduction?

Balthazart

Taziaux

2009

Behavioural Brain Research

104

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Until the second half of the 20 th century, it was broadly accepted that most birds are microsmatic if not anosmic and unable to detect and use olfactory information. Exceptions were eventually conceded for species like procellariiforms, vultures or kiwis that detect their food at least in part based on olfactory signals. During the past 20-30 years, many publications have appeared indicating that this view is definitely erroneous. We briefly review here anatomical, electrophysiological and behavioral data demonstrating that birds in general possess a functional olfactory system and are able to use olfactory information in a variety of ethological contexts, including reproduction. Recent work also indicates that brain activation induced by sexual interactions with a female is significantly affected by olfactory deprivation in Japanese quail. Brain activation was measured via immunocytochemical detection of the protein product of the immediate early gene c-fos. Changes observed concerned two brain areas that play a key role in the control of male sexual behavior, the medial preoptic nucleus and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis therefore suggesting a potential role of olfaction in the control of reproduction. The widespread idea that birds are anosmic or microsmatic is thus not supported by the available experimental data and presumably originates in our anthropomorphic view that leads us to think that birds do not smell because they have a rigid beak and nostrils and do not obviously sniff. Experimental analysis of this phenomenon is thus warranted and should lead to a significant change in our understanding of avian biology.

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Section: The Role Of Olfaction In the Control Of Reproductioncontrasting

confidence: 87%

The underestimated role of olfaction in avian reproduction?

Balthazart

Taziaux

2009

Behavioural Brain Research

104

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“…This method has been validated in previous studies in birds [50,68,69] and in mammals [52]. We confirmed that blockade of the nostrils suppresses nearly completely the well-characterized behavioral reactions to acetic acid and therefore presumably its detection.…”

Section: Efficiency Of Olfactory and Somatosensory Deprivationsupporting

confidence: 73%

Site-specific effects of anosmia and cloacal gland anesthesia on Fos expression induced in male quail brain by sexual behavior

Taziaux

Keller

Ball

et al. 2008

Behavioural Brain Research

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In rats, expression of the immediate early gene, c-fos observed in the brain following male copulatory behavior relates mostly to the detection of olfactory information originating from the female and to somatosensory feedback from the penis. However, quail, like most birds, are generally considered to have a relatively poorly developed sense of smell. Furthermore, quail have no intromittent organ (e.g., penis). It is therefore intriguing that expression of male copulatory behavior induces in quail and rats a similar pattern of c-fos expression in the medial preoptic area (mPOA), bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BSTM) and parts of the amygdala. We analyzed here by immunocytochemistry Fos expression in the mPOA/BSTM/amygdala of male quail that had been allowed to copulate with a female during standardized tests. Before these tests, some of the males had either their nostrils plugged, or their cloacal area anesthetized, or both. A control group was not exposed to females. These manipulations did not affect frequencies of male sexual behavior and all birds exposed to a female copulated normally. In the mPOA, the increased Fos expression induced by copulation was not affected by the cloacal gland anesthesia but was markedly reduced in subjects deprived of olfactory input. Both manipulations affected copulation-induced Fos expression in the BSTM. No change in Fos expression was observed in the amygdala. Thus immediate early gene expression in the mPOA and BSTM of quail is modulated at least in part by olfactory cues and/or somatosensory stimuli originating from the cloacal gland. Future work should specify the nature of these stimuli and their function in the expression of avian male sexual behavior.

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“…This mechanism is the same as what would be expected in a natural response to uropygial secretions. Porter et al (2002) have shown that chicks develop olfactory abilities, which supports the idea that they may be able to detect MHUSA. Nevertheless, this…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 59%

Influence of a preen gland secretion on growth and meat quality of heavy broilers

Madec¹,

Pageat²,

Bougrat³

et al. 2008

Animal

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Preen gland secretions were obtained from several hens that were rearing their chicks and the content of these secretions was analysed. From these results, a synthetic analogue of the secretions was created (given the title Mother Hen Uropygial Secretion Analogue, or MHUSA, in this study). According to a blinded, controlled experimental design, heavy broilers (strain SASSO T56N) were reared from 1 day of age in an environment treated with either MHUSA or control. At 80 days the birds were slaughtered. Post mortemcarcass weight, abdominal fat and fillet weights were then measured. Colour, pH and yield were also measured as indicators of meat quality. Broilers exposed to MHUSA had both higher carcass weights and higher fillet weights compared with control-treated birds (P , 0.05). Abdominal fat, pH, water loss and colorimetry results were similar between the treatment groups at all time points (24 h and 6 days post mortem) and also after a cooking procedure. The meat from the MHUSA birds was less yellow compared with control. It is concluded that constant exposure to MHUSA from rearing until slaughter improves growth rate in broilers without significantly affecting meat quality.

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Chemosensory deficits are associated with reduced weight gain in newly hatched chicks

Cited by 8 publications

References 16 publications

The underestimated role of olfaction in avian reproduction?

The underestimated role of olfaction in avian reproduction?

Site-specific effects of anosmia and cloacal gland anesthesia on Fos expression induced in male quail brain by sexual behavior

Influence of a preen gland secretion on growth and meat quality of heavy broilers

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