STANDARD VALUES FOR REPRODUCTIVE AND CLINICAL-CHEMISTRY PARAMETERS OFJAPANESE-QUAIL

Historical control data of Japanese quail collected from reproduction studies conducted at the Federal Institute for Health Protection of Co nsumers and Veterinary Medicine between 1988 and 1994 are presented in this paper. Reproductive and clinical chemistry data from control ani mals of 10 ecotoxicological studies are summarized and discussed to de velop a normal data base of this species. The data obtained were compa red to the control reproductive parameters of bobwhite quail and malla rd ducks available in the literature. For a long time these two specie s have been the most used in avian reproductive toxicology studies. In summary, the data obtained indicate that Japanese quail appears to be more appropriate to be used for the determination of reproductive eff ects of pesticides on birds.