Fearfulness and Performance Related Traits in Selected Lines of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

Fearfulness and economic traits were studied in three lines of Japanese quail. Two of the lines were of the same genetic origin and were subjected to divergent selection for the duration of tonic immobility (TI), a measure of fearfulness. Birds were selected for long (LTI) or short (STI) duration of TI. The third line (DD) was of a different genetic origin and had been selected for early egg production. Fear, growth, residual feed intake, and measures of egg composition and production varied among lines. The distribution of TI in Line DD was closer to that from Line STI. Residual feed intake and shell content were lowest in the DD line. The DD birds laid more broken eggs than quail of the other lines. The STI line birds had higher BW and laid more, but smaller, eggs than LTI line birds. Eggs laid by LTI line birds had higher albumen content, but lower percentage shell, than those laid by STI line birds. When all traits were considered together, there was an overall tendency for STI line birds to out perform LTI birds with DD line birds showing intermediate performance. This finding supports the notion that there is a relationship between fearfulness and productivity. However, the skewed distribution of TI precluded estimation of correlation with production traits in the LTI and STI lines. No significant relationships among fear and production-related traits were found in the DD line, which contradicts the notion that fearfulness and production are related.

Desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de codornas de quatro grupos genéticos

“…Esse resultado é similar ao relatado por Altan et al (1998), que não encontraram diferenças significativas para produção de ovos de linhagens selecionadas para alto ganho de peso. Outros autores reportaram resultados contrários aos deste estudo (Minvielle et al, 2002;Piccinin, 2002;Anthony et al, 1990;Marks, 1979), pois obtiveram diferenças significativas para produção de ovos entre linhagens. As diferenças entre estes resultados e os obtidos na literatura podem ser explicadas pela variabilidade genética entre as aves utilizadas nas diferentes investigações.…”

Environmental enrichment reduces behavioural alterations induced by chronic stress in Japanese quail

“…Muir and Craig, 1998). Hence, genetic lines of poultry have been created in order to decrease feather pecking or fear, or to increase social motivation (Minvielle et al, 2002). Previous studies evidenced that chronic stress had fewer effects on the fearfulness and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response of quail selected for their low level of fearfulness than on that of quail selected for their high level of reactivity (Calandreau et al, 2011;Laurence et al, 2012).…”

Genetics of behavioural adaptation of livestock to farming conditions

“…Schü tz et al, 2004). In quail, Minvielle et al (2002) observed the absence of genetic correlation between tonic immobility and production traits, which contradicts the hypothesis that fear and production are related. Similarly, the QTL found for the duration of tonic immobility did not co-locate with the QTL for growth and feed intake Minvielle et al, 2005).…”

“…Montanholi et al (2010) observed that high-RFI steers make more visits to the feeder during the night than more efficient steers. Altan et al (2004) found that low-RFI quail were less fearful, whereas Minvielle et al (2002) did not find any significant correlation between RFI and the results of the tonic immobility test. In laying hens selected for lower RFI, reduced sensitivity to stress is observed under natural conditions (Schü tz et al 2002), but these genotypes are selected in cages.…”

“…Quail selected for a long period of tonic immobility exhibit stronger fear reactions to various stimuli, human included (e.g. Minvielle et al, 2002;Faure et al, 2006).…”