No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2005. / Advisor: Bennett Galef. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

A partially automated radio-tracking system with semi-continuous azimuth data collection and XYLOG5 and MAP computer programs for azimuth data analysis was used for studies of California quail (Callipepla californica) at the E.E. Wilson Wildlife Area, Oregon, in 1988 and 1989. Movements of 58 hens were monitored daily to determine nest locations and dates of incubation activities throughout 2 breeding seasons (May to mid-August). Locations for specified periods during the breeding season for nesting quail were used in 2 studies: 1) effect of methyl parathion application to home ranges; and 2) home ranges and habitats used. Foraging home ranges during the first one-half of incubation for 15 hens were treated with water (n = 8) or methyl parathion 4E (n = 7) at a rate of 0.56 kg a.i./ha. No significant measurable effects were found for rates of nesting success and recruitment to 15 days post-hatching between water and methyl parathion groups. A significantly lower hatching rate was found for the methyl parathion group wherein 71 of 103 (69%) eggs for control hens and 36 of 71 (51%) methyl parathion group hens hatched. No significant measurable effects were found for nest attentiveness from pre- to post-treatment period within groups and use of treated areas between groups. Home range sizes, nesting cover, and cover-type composition of home ranges were described for radio-tracked hens. During 4 periods of the breeding season, mean home range size ranged from 4 to 22 ha and was significantly smaller during incubation. Hens used roadsides, characterized by early seral stage vegetation, for nesting more frequently than expected in relation to availability, used cultivated fields less than expected, and did not use road surfaces, buildings, and foundations. Nest sites had significantly more bareground and less grass, shrub, and vertical cover than random sites and also were located in early successional vegetation. Ability to collect azimuth data and precisely analyze locations and home ranges for hens within a 6-hour period daily throughout the 2 field seasons were advantages of the radio-tracking system. Small sample size largely because of transmitter failures, potential for system overload, expenses incurred to employ personnel, and subjectiveness of collected azimuth data were disadvantages of the system. Efforts to advance radio-tracking technology should focus upon development of remote antennas, which are computer-controlled to collect and relay azimuth data to a central station. / Graduation date: 1991

This work is a quantitative description of the renal excretion and the post-renal modification of ureteral urine from native (unanesthetized, uninfused, and normal hydropenic) desert quail, Lophortyx gambelii. The technique used in this study establishes the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), urine flow rate, and urinary excretion of water, sodium, potassium, and uric acid for desert quail in a relatively undisturbed state and in steady-state balance with regard to intake and output of water, sodium, and potassium. In contrast, conventional methods of determining GFR in birds include the use of anesthesia, cloacal or ureteral canulation, and infusion of fluids to introduce filtration markers (e.g. inulin) and to cause a diuresis (e.g. by using mannitol). In the present study, native desert quail had a urine flow rate of about 40 g/kg.day compared to over 500 g/kg.day for desert quail previously studied using conventional methods. Also in the present study, GFR was about 1.6 ml/kg.min which is about 25% lower than previously reported (2.1 ml/kg.min) for desert quail studied with conventional techniques. Renal absorption of the filtered loads of water, sodium and potassium also was determined in the present study. The fractions of the filtered loads reabsorbed by the renal tubules were: for water 98%, for sodium 99.4%, and for potassium 42%. These findings illustrate that renal reabsorption of these filtered substances is less complete in birds than in mammals where, in man for example, about 99% of the water and 99.8% of the sodium are normally reabsorbed. In addition, this study evaluates the role of the cloaca and lower intestines in changing the composition of the ureteral urine. Ureteral urine is modified in the cloaca and lower intestines of the desert quail before being excreted with the final droppings. This modification results in reabsorption of about 70% of the water and sodium and about 80% of the potassium in the ureteral urine. Thus for the desert quail, post-renal reabsorption of water and sodium from ureteral urine produced by the kidneys increases the total amounts of the filtered loads reabsorbed to 99% for water and 99.7% for sodium, which are nearly the same as seen for man. It is concluded that post-renal reabsorption of water and sodium is an important aspect of fluid and electrolyte balance in native desert quail. About 65% of the uric acid present in the ureteral urine was found to be degraded during its passage into the lower intestines. This is particularly significant because trapping of sodium and potassium occurs within the uric acid precipitates which form in bird urine. It was determined that about 20% of the sodium and 33% of the potassium in the ureteral urine are trapped within uric acid precipitates. Degradation of uric acid may increase the reabsorbable pools of these cations and facilitate their reabsorption by the tissues of the lower intestines. Since the intestinal ceca of birds contain large populations of uric acid-decomposing bacteria, and because other studies have suggested large amounts of water are reabsorbed in the ceca of birds, the role of the ceca in post-renal modification of urine was evaluated. The results are not conclusive. Cecaectomized (Cx) birds showed only a transitory increase in water loss when compared to sham operated (Sh) birds. No difference in uric acid excretion was seen between Cx or Sh birds. Thus, no obligatory role for the ceca in post-renal reabsorption of water and electrolytes, or in degradation of uric acid, was evident.

No description available.

Japanese quail hens were used to study the effect of feeding palmitic, oleic or linoleic acids on the reproductive performance, tissue fatty acid composition and embryo lipid metabolism. Quail fed palmitic acid consumed more feed than those fed either oleic or linoleic acids. The highest level of reproductive performance was observed in quail fed palmitic acid followed by those fed oleic and linoleic acids. The highest level of embryo survival, observed in the palmitic acid fed group, was associated with more rapid mobilization and assimilation of yolk material by the embryo during incubation and it was not related to changes in eggshell quality. High levels of oleic and linoleic acids were found in egg yolk, plasma and liver lipids from quail fed oleic and linoleic acids, respectively. However, feeding palmitic acid resulted in elevated levels of palmitoleic acids in all three tissues. The fatty acid profiles of phospholipid, triglyceride and cholesterol esters of embryonic tissues were consistently influenced by the fatty acid composition of the yolk lipids and the stage of development. Feeding palmitic acid promoted more retention of labeled fatty acids in embryo lipids. Labeled oleic acid was preferentially esterified in the cholesterol ester fraction of yolk sac membrane lipids, and it appears that this fatty acid is utilized to a great extent by the quail embryo during its development.

This study was intended to provide information on certain aspects of the population ecology of H. pacificus. A population on Quail Island in Lyttelton Harbour was chosen for intensive study over a period of one year. Some information on the population was already available. derived from a preliminary study in 1970 (McIvor, 1970a). The following aspects were investigated; population density, natality and mortality, age structures and sex ratios, annual and seasonal growth, daily and seasonal activity, reproduction (detailed investigation of testicular activity), home range and movements and diet. Much of the population information was obtained from recapture of marked individuals. This study helps to fill some of the major gaps in our knowledge of the biology of the nocturnal gecko. Hoplodactylus pacificus.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1968. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2004. / Advisor: Bennett Galef. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-90). Also available online.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2004-02Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:43:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 abreu_apn_dr_botfmvz.pdf: 284995 bytes, checksum: f70cdff20644b4b8758f65b8d18ea6f4 (MD5) / O trabalho foi desenvolvido nas instalações do Setor de Avicultura da Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da USP, campus de Pirassununga – SP, com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos das micotoxinas sobre os parâmetros de desempenho (consumo de ração, porcentagem de postura, peso dos ovos, massa dos ovos, CA/massa, CA/dúzia e variação de peso) e o efeito protetor do adsorvente, em codornas japonesas em postura recebendo rações contaminadas com micotoxinas e suplementadas com adsorvente. Para isso foram utilizadas 576 codornas japonesas (Coturnix coturnix japonica), com 15 semanas de idade e distribuídas em 36 gaiolas de área útil 1,00 m x 0,34 m x 0,19 m, com quatro compartimentos cada. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado com o esquema fatorial 3x2x2, com três níveis de inclusão de aflatoxinas (0, 1000 e 2000 mg/kg), dois níveis de inclusão de zearalenona (0 e 2000 mg/kg) e dois níveis de inclusão de adsorvente (0 e 0,1%), com três repetições de 16 aves em cada parcela. Os parâmetros foram avaliados no período de 28 e 56 dias, utilizando-se o SASÒ (SAS Institute, 2000) e, foi utilizado o teste de Tukey pela ANOVA para comparação entre... / The work was developed in the poultry farming department of Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia da USP, campus de Pirassununga – SP, with the objective of evaluating the effects of the mycotoxins on the performance parameter (feed consumption, laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed gain/egg mass, feed gain/egg dozen and weight variation) and the protective effect of the adsorbent, in Japanese quails in laying receiving feed contaminated with mycotoxins and supplemented with adsorbent. For this work 576 Japanese quails were used (Coturnix coturnix japonica), with 15 weeks of age and distributed in 36 cages of an area of 1.00 m x 0.34 m x 0.19 m, with four compartment each. The experimental model used was entirely randomized with fatorial 3x2x2, with three levels of aflatoxin inclusion (0, 1000 and 2000 mg/kg), two levels of zearalenone inclusion (0 and 2000 mg/kg) and two levels of adsorbent inclusion (0 and 0.1%), with three replicates of 16 birds in each cage. The parameters were evaluated on period of 28 and 56 days, through the SASÒ (SAS Institute, 2000) and, the test of Tukey was used with ANOVA for... (Complete abstract click electronic address below)