Allometric Growth of Testes in Relation to Age, Body Weight and Selected Blood Parameters in Male Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

The Japanese quail is a very valuable animal model for research in a variety of biological disciplines. The purpose of this study was to characterize and interrelate age-dependent testicular parameters with various blood constituents: blood glucose, plasma proteins and packed cell volume that are developing concurrently in the growing bird. Another objective of the study was to identify selective physioanatomical markers for predicting the testicular growth and the onset of sexual maturity. Male Japanese quail hatchlings were raised in temperature controlled brooders for up to 3 weeks of age under a constant light and then shifted to hanging cages in an air conditioned room set at ~73° F under a 14L: 10D lighting system and ad libitum access to feed and water. Starting d8, a group of 8–10 birds of uniform size and weight were selected randomly at 4-day intervals up to d52 of age for the project. The birds were weighed and blood sampled using the brachial vein and Blood Glucose (BGL), Total Plasma Proteins (PP) and Packed Cell Volume (PCV) levels were measured prior to euthanization. The testes were removed and measured for weight, length, width and Volume (VOL). All the testicular measurements were then correlated with age and body weight. The left testes were larger than the right testes and their differences were evident at d36 of age. Testicular measurements also reflected two distinct growth surges at d28, d32 and d36 of age. Combined Testes Weight (CTW) and Combined Testes Volume (CTV) revealed a strong positive correlation with PCV and PP and a negative correlation with Blood Glucose Level (BGL). Accordingly, these measurements could serve as reliable markers of growth rate and sexual maturation in male Japanese quail.

Valorization of cricket, Acheta domesticus (Linnaeus, 1758), flour as a source of dietary protein in Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica (Temminck and Schlegel, 1849), farming

“…This can be justified by the fact that the latter’s readings were taken on animals younger than ours, as testicular weights and volumes generally increase with age until puberty and reach maximum values at the sexual period [ 9 , 46 ]. The present study showed that the left testis weight is almost always more developed than that of the right testis, which is consistent with previous studies in quails [ 19 ]and birds [ 9 , 45 , 47 ]. The rapid testicular growth in the quails in our trial is thought to be due to the high propagation of Sertoli cells.…”

“…The testicular weight noted with the control treatment is higher than those observed by Vatsalya and Kashmiri[ 45 ], but those obtained with the T2 treatment (30%) at 56 days are higher than the latter and those obtained by Wilkanowska et al [ 34 ] on Pharaoh quails. This can be justified by the fact that the latter’s readings were taken on animals younger than ours, as testicular weights and volumes generally increase with age until puberty and reach maximum values at the sexual period [ 9 , 46 ].…”

Effect of Alcoholic Extract of Garden Rocket Eruca sativa Mill. Seed on Some Reproductive Traits and Carcasses Quality of Aged Local Duck Males

“…Using a vernier caliper to measure the length and width of testes. The testes volume was calculated by (cm 3 ) according to (Vatsalya & Arora, 2012). A small part of the testis (5g) was taken from each treatment and fixed in Bouin's fluid for 24 hours, then dehydrated in ethanol, cleared in xylene and embedded in paraffin.…”

Trial of partial substitution of maize (Zea mays) by Parkia biglobosa pulp in the diet of japanese quail (Coturnix japonica)

“…This can be explained by the fact that the birds adapted better and better to the substitution of corn by P. biglobosa pulp in their diet. Several authors have reported the same growth pattern in the quail Coturnix japonica (Ikaya et al, 2005;Kizilkaya et al, 2006;Vatsalya & Arora, 2012). The average weekly gain evolved in a decreasing way with the age of the birds.…”