EFFECT OF HIGH STOCKING DENSITY ON PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF JAPANESE QUAILS (Coturnix coturnix japonica) RAISED DURING THE RAINY SEASON

Abstract

Increase urbanization which apparently reduces land available for agricultural purpose has compelled poultry farmers to increase the number of birds per unit space to maximize the usage of available space and increase profitability. This always results in build-up of heat and consequently leads to heat stress. An experiment was therefore conducted to evaluate the effect of high stocking density on the physiological parameters of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) raised during the rainy season in South-West Nigeria. A total of 296 day old quail birds comprising both sexes were brooded till three weeks of age and randomly divided into the four stocking densities (treatments) with four replicates per treatment.. Treatment 1 contained 11 birds per replicate with 2 252.20cm 2 /bird floor spacing, Treatment 2 contained 16 birds per replicate with 173.43cm /bird 2 floor spacing, Treatment 3 contained 21 birds per replicate with 132.10cm /bird floor spacing and 2 Treatment 4 contained 26 birds per replicate with 106.73cm /bird floor spacing; Data were collected on various parameters. The results obtained showed that stocking density had significant (P<0.05) effect on some parameters which could affect the overall performance of the birds. Increase in competition for feed and water due to the increase in stocking density caused the birds in T4 to have poor performance in term of the weight gain which also influenced the carcass evaluation negatively for birds in T4, mortality rate was high in treatments with high stocking density which affected the number of eggs produced, hen-day production and hen-housed production negatively. High stocking density lead to both positive and negative effect on quail haematological parameters and serum biochemical parameters. The increase in stocking density had significant effects on performance, proximate composition of the egg, fertility and hatchability of eggs from birds stocked at higher stocking densities as compared to the control. It was therefore concluded that high stocking density affects physiological parameters of Japanese quail birds raised during the rainy season