CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF HEAT STRESS ON BLOOD PICTURE OF JAPANESE QUAILS

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of heat stress on quail hematological parameters two published papers on quails in 2013 were studied, analyzed and compared. Broiler Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were exposed to high ambient temperature (34⁰C, 8hr/d, 0900-1700hr) in both papers. An increase in values of red blood cells count, white blood cells count, lymphocytes, heterophils and lymphocytes (H/L) ratio, Monocytes, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were recorded while a lower values of heterophils, basophils, eosinophils, mean corpuscular volume and hemoglobin concentration than normal were recorded in groups exposed to heat stress (34⁰C) on day 42 in Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Hemoglobin concentration was least affected. The obtained results indicated that, rearing quail birds under high environmental conditions during the fattening period has a great adverse effect on blood parameters. To help maintain Japanese quail as an essential animal model further heat stress related research on modern ways is needed.