Ontogeny of copulatory behaviour in male Japanese quail classified by their T-maze performance at 2 days of age

LABAQUE M. C.,; KEMBRO, JACKELYN;; GUZMAN, DIEGO;; NAZAR, FRANCO;; MARIN R.H.

BRITISH POULTRY SCIENCE

Elselvier

Año: 2008 vol. 49 p. 409 - 417

0007-1668

Abstract 1. This study examines the time courses of male mating behaviours using quail that were categorised at 2 days of age as high performance (HP) or low performance 25 (LP) individuals in a T-maze. 26 2. Individually-caged males from each T-maze category were observed for 5 min after a 27 female of the same category (HP or LP) was introduced into their home cages as a 28 sexual partner at 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. The number of grabs, mounts, and 29 cloacal contacts performed by each male and his copulatory efficiency (number of 30 cloacal contacts/number of grabs; CE) was determined at each time interval. 31 3. No differences were observed in the proportion of HP and LP males performing grabs 32 at any of the ages evaluated. However, a greater proportion of HP males showed 33 mounting and cloacal contact behaviour, coupled with a higher CE than did their LP 34 counterparts at 5 and 6, 6 and 8, and 8 weeks of age, respectively. At those ages, a 35 higher mean number of mounts and cloacal contacts was also observed. No significant 36 sexual behaviour differences between HP and LP quail were observed at 10 and 12 37 weeks of age. 38 4. The results suggest that rapid negotiation of the T-maze in hatchlings is associated with 39 accelerated puberty in male quail. The differential reproductive behaviour of HP males 40 during the development of puberty does not remain extant in fully-developed quail. 41 5. The finding of accelerated male developmental sexual activity responses in HP quail 42 indicates that selection for T-maze HP behaviour may allow males to be successfully bred 43 at an earlier age. 44