HEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF JAPANESE-QUAIL (COTURNIX-COTURNIX-JAPONICA) KEPT IN CAGES UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS AND EXPOSED TO LONG-TIME EXPERIMENTAL HYPODYNAMY

The aim of the study was to compare the basic haematological parameter s in peripheral blood of captive Japanese quail employed as model orga nisms for research in cosmic biology. In the first experimental series , red blood cell count (RBC), white blood cell count (WBC), haemoglobi n concentration, and erythrocytic indices, i. e. mean corpuscular volu me (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular haemogl obin concentration (MCHC) of 207 clinically healthy birds of both sexe s was studied. The quail were kept in groups in cages under standard l aboratory conditions. In the second series, 55 female individuals expo sed to experimental hypodynamy (birds suspended in a special device) f or up to 90 days were used. A total of 262 blood samples were analyzed for haematological parameters, and 5629 haematological data were eval uated using variation statistics. Analysis of the first series made po ssible to establish a range of physiological values of RBC and WBC cou nts with significant (P < 0.05) sex differences in RBC counts. In gene ral, the blood of these birds showed a high oxygenating capacity and a remarkable lymphocytic character. Haematological parameters of quail females exposed to artificial hypodynamy for 60 days remained unaffect ed. However, by the end of this exposure lasting for 90 days, a mild d ecrease occurred in some indices. It can be concluded that japanese qu ail have shown an excellent adaptation ability and can serve as a suit able model organism for the study of cosmic physiology.