IIBYT   23944
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES BIOLOGICAS Y TECNOLOGICAS
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
An individually fitted physical barrier device as a tool to restrict the birds? access to certain environmental areas: can their use alter behavioral responses?
Autor/es:
PELLEGRINI, S; MARIN, R.H.; GUZMÁN, D. A.
Lugar:
Louisville, Kentucky
Reunión:
Congreso; Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting; 2015
Institución organizadora:
Poultry science association
Resumen:
Social interactions have been extensively studied in poultry in a variety of environmental situations. Many studies allowed full social contacts between birds, but there are others in which the interactions are tested through barriers (wire mesh or glass), precluding birds to get full social contact. Thus, a situation where, according to their needs, some birds can get access to physical contact with conspecifics while others cannot, would be useful to expand the testing options for social interaction studies. We develop an individual physical barrier device (IPB) that is fitted on the birds to prevent them pass across boundaries of metal mesh while IPB free birds can easily pass (delimiting their ambulation areas). The prototypes showing greater efficacy consisted of a small metal bar placed in the bird´s back perpendicular to the sagittal plane that slightly exceed body wide, held with a harness fitted by two elastic fabric bands around the wings? base. To be useful, the IPB should allow natural birds´ movements not affecting the expressions of behaviors (non-invasive). Thus, the aim of this study was to assess whether the IPB may alter adult Japanese quail behavioral responses using four classical but different test situations: Open-Field, Runway, Time Budget in Home Cage and Sexual Interactions. Open-field ambulatory behavior was affected 1 h, but not 7 d, after IPB was fitted, suggesting that 7 d (or less) are required to habituate to the device. After that time period, IPB fitted birds showed no differences in any of the behaviors registered in the other three tests situations when compared to birds that do not carry it. Findings suggest that after a brief habituation, the IPB do not affect main behaviors in adult quail. Thus, their use would be adequate to assess social interactions where IPB fitted birds are confined to certain areas while their IPB free counterparts can freely ambulate, get access and potentially interact with them. Its application could be expanded if an IPB device is also found suitable for other poultry species.