Effect of Brooding Paper on the Performance of Bobwhite Quail

Abstract

Three experiments were conducted to determine the response of bobwhite quail chicks when reared in pens with and without brooding paper. Half the chicks in each experiment was brooded Days 1 to 7 on brooding paper, which covered the litter within a brooder ring. The other half was brooded on either new or reused litter without paper. Results of all three experiments showed a consistent trend of higher 1-week body weights and lower cumulative 1 to 3 week mortality when birds were reared in pens without paper. Overall, no net performance advantages were found for rearing quail with brooding paper at the termination of the 3-week trials.

Comparison of Infrared Lamp Versus Quartz Bar Radiant Brooders for Bobwhite Quail

“…Significant differences in feed consumption and feed conversion due to brooding paper were not found in the analysis of Weeks 1 to 3 cumulative data. These results suggest less feed wastage by Bobwhite quail chicks brooded on brooding paper during the 1st wk and are in agreement with results of Ouart et al (1987). Upon analysis of all experiments, no overall net performance advantages were found for either brooder type, regardless of brooding paper use.…”

“…Brooding paper was used in these experiments because previous results suggested that there might be a brooder attractant light source by brooding paper interaction on performance. Ouart et al (1987Ouart et al ( , 1990 reported that both brooding paper and brooder attractant light source affect Bobwhite quail performance. Brooding paper was taken up after 7 days when the brooder ring was removed.…”

“…Ouart et al (1987) investigated the use of brooding paper in improving quail chick performance during the first 21 days of rearing. Their results suggested that the ability of quail chicks to find the brooder heat source may have affected performance and that light may be an important factor in learning the location of the heat source.…”

Consuming Fire Ants Reduces Northern Bobwhite Survival and Weight Gain1

“…Analysis of surviving chick weights revealed a significant time (day) by treatment effect (F 1, 10 5 8.25, P , 0.01), and surviving chicks in the experimental group were consistently smaller than those in the treatment group (F 1, 40 5 6.83, P 5 0.01, Table 2). Weight gain of the control group was similar to that measured by Ouart et al (1987).…”