Haematological Profile of Naturally Infected Haemoparasite Positive and Negative Japanese Quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

Commercial quail farming is economically viable and feasible because quails are resistant tovarious diseases. But despite this reported resistance, little is known about its resistance tohaemoparasites. This study evaluates the haematological changes and haemoparasiticinfection of commercially raised quails. Fifty-seven adult quails raised on deep litter wererandomly selected for blood sampling in this study. Two milliliters of blood was collectedaseptically for complete blood count while blood smears were used for the determination ofhaemoparasite morphological characteristics. Haemoproteus spp. Plasmodium gallinaceum, and Leucocytozoon spp. were identified in this study. 38 (67%) of the quails were positive forsingle or mixed infection, 29 (51%) were positive for single infection and 9(16%) for mixedinfection. There was a (P<0.05) decrease in PCV, Hb, and RBC counts, and an increase inTWBC and eosinophil count in birds with haemoparasite as compared to the uninfected birds.There was (P<0.05) increase in total white blood cell and heterophil count in the plasmodiumpositive birds. Also, total white blood cell, heterophil, lymphocyte and eosinophil count were(P<0.05) increased in the Leucocytozoon positive birds. This increase was also observed inbirds with mixed infection. The high incidence of haemoparasitic infection in apparentlyhealthy quail, with significant haematological indices deviated from normal, is consistentwith reports of the resistance of quail to various disease diseases which thus includeshaemoparasitic infection.