Effects of Microwave-Treated Drinking Water on Growth and Some Physiological Characteristics of Japanese Quail (Coturnixcoturnix japonica).

Present preliminary scientific trial was designed to investigate of microwave effects on Japanese quails as an animal model. Thirty six three days-old quail chicks were randomly divided into 3 experimental groups and received: A) un-treated tap water, B) tap water boiled by electrical heater and then cooled and C) tap water treated by microwave oven and then cooled. The whole experimental period was 40 days. During the experiment body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured. At the end of the study, carcass, liver, spleen and bursa of fabricius weighed and small intestinal length, blood hemoglobin and hematocrit, small intestinal villus height and crypt depth were measured. The lowest body weight gain was observed in group C (P<0.01). Haemoglobin and hematocrit values of group C were less than group A (P>0.01). Carcass, liver, spleen and bursa of fabricius weights and small intestinal length were the lowest in group C (P<0.01). Crypt depth of group C was higher than the group A (P<0.01). Qualitative observations of reproductive organs such as: ovaries, oviducts, follicles and testis of group C showed less growth in comparison with the other groups. Treatment of drinking water by microwave had side effects on Japanese quails. Tease effects were not the simple effects of boiling since heat-boiled drank quails did not show such effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]