Effects of Heat Stress on Some Egg Characteristics on Acid-Base Balance in Two lines of Japanese Quail, Unselected and Selected for four Week Body Weight

Authors: Özge ALTAN, İsmail OĞUZ

Abstract: Aim of this study was to determine effect of heat stress on blood PH, blood gas, egg production, egg weight and shell thickness in two lines of Japanese quail, unselected and selected for high four week body weight. Twenty female quails from each line were divided at random into two groups of 10 birds. First group was housed in wire cages in a room maintained at 18 to 23^0C, second group was exposed to an ambient temperature of 35-36^0C for two hour each day for 7-day experimental period. The results of this study indicated that there was significant difference between lines in response to heat stress. Selected quail line was observed to be less tolerance to heat stress than unselected controls. In selected line, heat stress caused a significiant (P<0.01) decrease in blood PCO_2 and shell thickness and a significant (P<0.01) increase in blood PO_2. There was no significant change in blood PH, egg production and egg weight.

Keywords: Japanese quail, egg production, heat stress, acid-base balance, blood gases.