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Fibre-induced feed sorting in King Quail (Coturnix chinensis): behavioural plasticity elicited by a physiological challenge

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Abstract

We examined the effect of an abrupt change in diet fibre content on the feed intake, gastrointestinal morphology and utilisation of gastroliths by a small (ca. 40 g body mass) herbivorous bird, the King Quail (Coturnix chinensis). King Quail were acclimated for 14 days on a low-fibre (LF) pullet starter diet. Following acclimation, half the quail population was immediately switched to a 23 % wood-shaving diluted high-fibre (HF) diet for a further 14 days. Contrary to expectations, we found no differences in feed intake, gut morphology or gastrolith mass between the LF- and HF-fed quail. However, when switched from the LF to HF diet, the quail commenced feed-sorting behaviours that permitted HF-fed animals to maintain body condition (mass, abdominal fat mass) without adjustments to intestinal organ sizes or gastrolith mass. Feed sorting was initiated only after exposure to the HF diet, which corresponded with an immediate reduction in food intake, suggesting that the sorting behaviour was cued by a physiological challenge associated with the HF diet. This challenge apparently induced preferential sorting behaviour and was possibly due to abrupt changes in the rate of food passage, impacting satiation or other internal cues.

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Abbreviations

ADF:

Acid detergent fibre

DMI:

Dry matter intake

FI:

Feed intake

EO:

Excreta output

FP:

Feed provided

FR:

Feed remaining

FS:

Feed spilled

HF:

High fibre

LF:

Low fibre

MET:

Metabolisability

NDF:

Neutral detergent fibre

OM:

Organic matter

PLAT:

Plateau

PRE:

Preliminary

TRANS:

Transition

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Stephanie Courtney Jones, James Lidsey and Alex Leslie for their assistance with dissections, to Prof. Kris French for assisting with statistics. A special thanks to Stanmore Veterinary Hospital for allowing and assisting us with radiology. All procedures were carried out in accordance with the University of Wollongong Animal Ethics Committee (protocol AE11/15), and in accordance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.

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  1. Institute of Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia

    Mathew Stewart & Adam J. Munn

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  1. Mathew Stewart
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  2. Adam J. Munn
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Correspondence to Adam J. Munn.

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Stewart, M., Munn, A.J. Fibre-induced feed sorting in King Quail (Coturnix chinensis): behavioural plasticity elicited by a physiological challenge. J Comp Physiol A 200, 789–797 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-014-0920-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-014-0920-4

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