Values of Selected Biochemical and Mineral Metabolism Indicators in Feathered Game

Abstract

The present paper extends the current knowledge of biochemical and mineral profiles in selected species of feathered game such as helmeted guineafowl ( Numida meleagris ), common pheasant ( Phasianus colchicus ), Japanese quail ( Coturnix coturnix japonica ), chukar ( Alectoris chucar ), grey partridge ( Perdix perdix ) and wild turkey ( Meleagris gallopavo ) reared in the Czech Republic and throughout Europe. The work evaluates potential interspecies differences among the values and compares the findings with the results reported for related domesticated species of birds. Indicators investigated in the individual species of feathered game such as total protein (TP), glucose (GLU), total cholesterol (CHOL), triacylglycerides (TAG), uric acid (UA), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Cl varied in ranges typical for layers and broiler chickens. Except for wild turkey where mineral metabolism values reached or even exceeded the upper limit of the physiological range, which may indicate a specific interspecies difference. However, with regard to the wide physiological range of biochemical indicators in the blood of birds, significant ( P ⪬ 0.05) and highly significant ( P ⪬ 0.01) differences in most mean values for the monitored indicators can not be evaluated as interspecies differences.