Impact of Pre-transport Feed Withdrawal on Welfare and Meat Characteristics of European Quails

The objective of this study was evaluate whether pretransport feed withdrawal affects welfare, carcass, and meat characteristics of European quails. A total of 120 European quails were used, with an initial age of 15 days. Bird feed was removed before transport to the slaughterhouse at the following times, which characterised the different treatments: zero hours, three hours, six hours, nine hours and twelve hours. The transport took 54 minutes to cover 27 kilometres to a commercial slaughterhouse. The birds were slaughtered at 41 days of age. During bleeding, blood samples were collected. Blood glucose, total protein, albumin, uric acid, and corticosterone concentrations were measured. The carcasses and meat characteristics were measured. Poultry body weight decreased and blood glucose concentrations increased with the increase in feed withdrawal time. The treatments did not affect carcass weights. Carcass yields after three hours fasting were similar to those in the six hours and nine hours groups, indicating that gastrointestinal tracts were empty after the third hour. Meat quality was negatively affected (pH, lightness, water holding capacity, cooking loss) by the increase in feed withdrawal time; integrated parameters that characterise dark, firm, dry meat. Pre transport feed withdrawal time should be three hours to empty the gastrointestinal tract and minimise losses in meat quality of European quails. It is necessary to adjust feed withdrawal so that it does not exceed this time, since there is no technical justification for supporting it.