Effect of different levels of air velocity at 35°C on Japanese quail behavior at start of lay

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of air velocity at the feeder during high-temperature conditions on the behavior of Japanese quail at the start of egg production. In the study, 216 Japanese quails were maintained in 4 climatic chambers having heat stress conditions of 35°C temperature and 50 to 70% relative humidity, where they were housed and distributed randomly into two galvanized-wire cages. Each cage housed 27 birds and had 3 partitions, each holding 9 birds, giving a stocking density of approximately 155.6 cm² bird^-1. An air velocity system distributed air into each climatic chamber at four treatment velocities, with mean values of 1.0 m s^-1 (Chamber 1); 2.0 m s^-1 (Chamber 2); 3.0 m s^-1 (Chamber 3); 0.0 m s^-1 (Chamber 4 - Control). The behavioral assessment was performed using an ethogram with the following behaviors: Eat; Drink; Stop; Open wings, and Others. The evaluation of behavior was carried out in 30-minute intervals during the morning and in the afternoon. The behavioral data were statistically analyzed by One-Way ANOVA, and then the significant treatments were submitted to a Tukey test (P<0.05). The results indicate that the air velocity levels did not influence (P>0.05) the morning behaviors of Drink, Open Wings, and Others), nor for afternoon behavior of Drink (P>0.05). Higher air velocity at the feeder appeared to stimulate Eat behavior and reduce Stop behavior for both periods. It was concluded that increased air velocity at the feeder might lessen inactivity and encourage the eating behavior of laying quails in heat stress.