Zona de conforto térmico para codornas de postura com base em indicadores de bem-estar.

Abstract

Coturniculture has a growing importance for Brazilian agricultural production. Much of the production is still geographically limited probably due to inefficiency in the climate control of the facilities. This problem may be related to the discrepancy in the values of the temperature ranges used in the production, available in the literature. Therefore, in order to establish the ideal temperature conditions for Japanese quails, Coturnix coturnix japonica females were used in a completely randomized design in four treatments (temperatures: 20, 24, 28 and 32° C), with six replicates of seven birds each. The experiment was divided in four phases of 21 days, from the eighth week of life of the quails, totalizing 84 days of evaluation in bioclimatic chambers belonging to the Center of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Paraíba (UFPB), Campus II, Areia/PB. The physiological parameters were cloacal temperature (TC) and mean surface temperature (TMS); behavioral patterns (CRs), drinking (CAs), investigating feathers (IP), comfort movements (MC) and aggressive movements (MA), grouped (AGR), seated (SEN), stopped (PAR) and others, for means of indirect observation; For the productive and egg quality parameters, the following parameters were evaluated: feed intake / bird / day (g) (CR), egg production / bird / day , egg mass (g / bird / day) (OM), egg components (g) (yolk, albumen and bark) (feed conversion per dozen eggs (kg/dz) The levels of corticosterone (CO), triiodothyronine (T3) were evaluated for blood parameters, and the levels of corticosterone (CO), triiodothyronine (T3) (P <0.05), the mean values of the variables were compared by means of the Tukey test (P <0) , 05) For the behavioral data a multivariate was used by means of Analysis of Principal Components for the behavioral variables given in period of time (s) and frequency. The latter was also applied the Tukey test at 5% probability. The worst values of CR and PRO were observed at the temperature of 32°C. The quails were able to maintain the cloacal temperature in a narrow temperature range. No significant difference was observed between BMC and CDO means. The egg quality parameters PO, MO, and PG presented the worst values at 32°C. The different temperatures at which the animals were submitted did not alter the hormonal variables studied. For the behavioral parameters, by means of Principal Component Analysis, the behaviors of greater variation were CRs, AGR and ATV, with higher values in the temperature of 20°C. The CRs reduced and the CAs increased in the temperature of 32°C. it was observed a significant difference in the frequency of MA, for MC only the temperature of 20°C differed significantly, being the temperature where the highest frequency of these movements was observed. Quails can keep their cloacal temperatures in a narrow temperature range. At 28°C the zootechnical and behavioral indexes are negatively influenced by the increase in temperature. Worse indices are observed in the temperature of 32°C. The application of PCA is a good tool for the behavioral evaluation of Japanese quails.