Japanese quail

Abbreviations used are J. quail (Japanese quail), C. V. quail (California valley quail), Austral, quail (Australian quail), B. E. pheasant (blue-eared pheasant), R. N. pheasant (ring-necked pheasant), G. pheasant (golden pheasant), and L. A. pheasant (Lady Amherst pheasant). 

Solecki R, Faqi AS, Pfeil R, et al. 1996. Effects of methyl parathion on reproduction in the Japanese quail. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 57 902-908. 

Microsomes are widely used to study the metabolism of xenobiotics. Enzymes can be chararacterized on the basis of their requirement for cofactors (e.g., NADPH, UDPGA), and their response to inhibitors. Kinetic studies can be carried out, and kinetic constants determined. They are very useful in studies of comparative metabolism, where many species not available for in vivo experiment can be compared with widely investigated laboratory species such as rats, mice, feral pigeon, Japanese quail, and rainbow trout. 

In a study of metabolism of 14C-flocoumafen by the Japanese quail (Huckle et al. 1989), biotransformation was extensive and rapid, with eight metabolites detected in excreta. The elimination of radioactivity from the liver of Japanese quail was biphasic (Figure 11.2). After an initial period of rapid elimination, there followed a... 

FIGURE 11.2 Loss of flocoumafen residues from quail liver. Depletion of radioactivity from Japanese quail after a single oral dose (14 mg/kg). Data are presented as microgram equivalents of/per gram of tissue and are mean values of two animals. Data collected at day 7 and day 12 were from four animals and three animals, respectively (from Huckle et al. 1989). 

Brealey, C.J. (1980). Comparative Metabolism of Pirimiphos-methyl in Rat and Japanese Quail. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Reading, UK. 

Thaxton JP, Parkhurst CR. 1973. Abnormal mating behavior and reproductive dysfunction caused by mercury in Japanese quail. Proc Soc Exper Biol Med 144 252-255. 

Sublethal effects in birds are similar to those in other species and include growth retardation, anemia, renal effects, and testicular damage (Hammons et al. 1978 Di Giulio et al. 1984 Blus et al. 1993). However, harmful damage effects were observed at higher concentrations when compared to aquatic biota. For example, Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) fed 75 mg Cd/kg diet developed bone marrow hypoplasia, anemia, and hypertrophy of both heart ventricles at 6 weeks (Richardson et al. 1974). In zinc-deficient diets, effects were especially pronounced and included all of the signs mentioned plus testicular hypoplasia. A similar pattern was evident in cadmium-stressed quail on an iron-deficient diet. In all tests, 1% ascorbic acid in the diet prevented cadmium-induced effects in Japanese quail (Richardson et al. 1974). In studies with Japanese quail at environmentally relevant concentrations of 10 pg Cd/kg B W daily (for 4 days, administered per os), absorbed cadmium was transported in blood in a form that enhanced deposition in the kidney less than 0.7% of the total administered dose was recovered from liver plus kidneys plus duodenum (Scheuhammer 1988). 

Scheuhammer, A.M. 1988. The dose-dependent deposition of cadmium into organs of Japanese quail following oral administration. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 95 153-161. 

Stone, C.L. and M.R.S. Fox. 1984. Effects of low levels of dietary lead and iron on hepatic RNA, protein, and minerals in young Japanese quail. Environ. Res. 33 322-332. 

El-Begearmi, M.M., H.E. Ganther, and M.L. Sunde. 1980. Toxicity of mercuric chloride in Japanese quail as affected by methods of incorporation into the diet. Poult. Sci. 59 2216-2220. 

Stoewsand, G.S., J.N. Telford, J.L. Anderson, C.A. Bache, W.H. Gutenmann, and D.J. Lisk. 1984. Toxicologic studies with Japanese quail fed winter wheat grown on municipal sludge-amended soil. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 13 297-301. 

Dietary studies with Japanese quail (Cotumix japonica) showed that tributyltin oxide affected reproduction at a dose where no overt toxicity was observed. Dietary levels as low as 60 mg tributyltin oxide/kg ration for 6 weeks was associated with decreased hatchability and decreased survival of chicks, although adults fed and behaved normally (Coenen et al. 1992). 

Japanese quail, Coturnix No measurable effect at dietary levels of 150 mg/kg ration for 2 weeks (Seinen... 

Japanese quail fed diets containing 0,24,60 or 150 mg tri-n-butyltin oxide for 6 weeks. Eggs produced and chicks hatched were observed Domestic chicken... 

Coenen, T.M.M., A. Brouwer, I.C. Enninga, and J.H. Koeman. 1992. Subchronic toxicity and reproduction effects of tri-ra-butyltin oxide in Japanese quail. Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol. 23 457-463. 

Guthrie, J. 1971. Zinc induction of testicular teratomas in Japanese quail (Cotumix cotumix japonica) after photo-periodic stimulation of testis. Brit. Jour. Cancer 25 311-314. 

Harland, B.F., M.R.S. Fox, and B.E. Fry, Jr. 1975. Protection against zinc deficiency by prior excess dietary zinc in young Japanese quail. Jour. Nutr. 105 1509-1518. 

Hussein, A.S., A.H. Cantor, and T.H. Johnson. 1988. Use of high levels of dietary aluminum and zinc for inducing pauses in egg production of Japanese quail. Poul. Sci. 67 1157-1165. 

Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica 573 5/3 50 1... 

Sherman, M. and E. Ross. 1969. Acute and subacute toxicity of Japanese quail of the carbamate insecticides, carbofuran, and SD 8530. Poult. Sci. 48 2013-2018. 

Chlordane interachons with other agricultural chemicals are significant and merit additional research. In one study, male Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) pretreated for 8 weeks with 10 mg chlordane/kg diet had increased resistance to parathion, but not to paraoxon, as judged by cholinesterase activity (Ludke 1977). In another study, northern bobwhites (Colinus virginianus) treated with 10 mg chlordane/kg diet for 10 weeks, followed by endrin stress, had greater accumulations of chlordane in the brain than did birds treated only with chlordane (Ludke 1976). 

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