Effect of different quarantine periods on performance, behaviour and physiology of laboratory guinea pigs

A total of 60 adult guinea pigs of homogenous weight [250-350g] were used for evaluation of the appropriate quarantine period [1-5, 6-10 and 11-15 days post arrival] of laboratory guinea pigs before using the animal for experimental work. On arrival, the animals were allotted into 6 cages [10 animals of the same sex / cage]. Feed intake, body weight and weight gain, growth rate, feeding behavior, and cortisol level were recorded for the animals during the different periods. Guinea pigs were also tested as experimental animal for evaluation of X-product toxicity; as indicated by two indicies [weight gain and mortality] during one week post injection, The highest stressful effect of transportation appears mainly during the first few days post arrival [1-5d], where guinea pigs recorded significantly the worst performance and behavior, and the highest cortisol level. However, during the second period [6-10d], the animals tended to modulate themselves and acclimate successfully to the Surrounding environment through increased feed intake, attaining more weight, with lower morbidity and cortisol level. Meanwhile, by increasing the quarantine period to more than 10 days, the performance of the animal tended to redecrease again to values lower than that of the second period [6-10d] but still better than those of the first one [1-5d]. Safety test results indicated that, the best performance was met in animals injected 10 days post arrival, while the lowest was obtained when the animals injected after 15 days post arrival. It can be Concluded that, the stress of transportation and receipt of animals into new environment extended for at least 5 days post arrival, The period from 6-10 days is the best suitable period of acclimatization and stabilization of the animal behaviourally and physiologically. Increasing the quarantine period for more than 10 days is not preferable as the animal may be exposed to adverse management conditions that reduce its performance again. Therefore, a quarantine period not less than 5 days or more than 10 days with average 7 days post arrival is recommended for successful acclimatization of the laboratory guinea pig before its use in experimental purposes

Effect of iodine-treated water on the performance and some behavioral patterns of meat-strain chicks

Some behavioral patterns [ingestive, body care and comfort] as well as the performance of meat-strain chicks which received iodine treated water for 49 days were investigated. A total of 150 one-day old Arbor Acres chicks, which were divided into 3 equal groups [1, 2 and 3] each of 50 chicks were used. Chicks of group 1 which received water treated with 10 ppm active iodine showed good ingestive behavior represented by high feeding [42.4%], drinking [38.8%]. The length of feeding time elapsed [82.8 seconds/bird], and consequently the high body weight gain was 1634 g and feed efficiency was 0.443. At the same time, a marked increase in comfort, resting, sleeping and body preening behaviors were observed in comparison with chicks in group 2 that received water treated with 25 ppm active iodine which showed the least marked increase in body weight gain [141 g] and feed efficiency [0.387], while birds in control group [group 3] which received non- iodine treated water showed a high feeding [40.8%], ground pecking [18.2%], sleeping [22.1%] and body preening [32.5%] with consequently moderate feeding efficiency utilization [0.418]. Iodine treated water increased the concentration of hemoglobin and erythrocytic count, without a significant difference observed between the three groups. In conclusion, the addition of iodine in drinking water [10 ppm] can significantly affect and improve the behavior of maintenance, and act as a good growth promoting factor represented by increase in both body weight gain and feed efficiency

effect of feeding and lighting regimens on some behavioral patterns and performance of broiler chicks

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of feeding and lighting regimens on behavior and performance of broiler chicks. A sample of 150 Arbor Acres were used and divided into 3 equal groups, each of 50 chicks. The 1st group [G.1] received a continuous lighting and ad. libitum feeding acts as control, the 2nd group [G.2] permitted ad. libitum feeding with only day light, while the 3rd group [G.3] received a continuous lighting with intermittent feeding [three time daily, each of 2 hours]. The results obtained indicated that there was a significant [p <0.05] increase in the food-searching behaviors as feeding frequency, feed bout, and ground pecking by birds with intermittent feeding [G.3], while there was no effect of light regimen on these patterns. There was no significant difference in the final body weight gain between groups although birds in groups 2 and 3 consumed significantly [p <0.05] less food [3629.6, 3405 and 3420 g] and convert their feeding more efficiently [0.412, 0.423 and 0.421] than those in control group. Regarding the rest and comfort behaviors, there was no significant effect of feeding or lighting regimens except that the resting and ground scratch% were significantly [p <0.05] higher in group 3 than other groups. There was no significant effect of both treatments on agonistic behaviors except on fight and feather pecking patterns as their occurrences were higher between birds in group 3 than in the other two groups [1 and 2]