Changes in social environment induce higher emotional disturbances than changes in physical environment in quail

In intensive rearing, birds are exposed to frequent changes in both their social and physical environments, and this can have an impact on animal welfare under commercial conditions. The aim of the present study was to compare the emotional responses induced by social and non-social changes and to study the influence of the familiarity on these responses. Twenty-two female quail were first reared with a ball in 15-20-individual groups for 3 weeks from hatching. Then, each experimental subject was allocated either a familiar congener (CONG) or a familiar object (BALL). At 6 weeks of age the birds were fitted with a telemetric device to collect motor and cardiac activities. After that, each subject was exposed first to a separation from its cage-mate/familiar object, and secondly to the (re-)introduction of either the cage-mate/familiar object or of an unknown conspecific/another ball. Emotional responses were assessed through behavioural reactions and heart rate variability. Before being separated, both BALL and CONG quail showed stereotyped pacing that was more pronounced in BALL quail. BALL quail were not affected by the ball withdrawal, unlike CONG quail which reacted to the separation from their cage-mate by reducing activity and exploratory behaviour (P <0.05). After the re-introduction, BALL quail remained closer to their ball and CONG quail spent more time with “stretched necks” than before the separation (P <0.05). Surprisingly, CONG quail showed less stereotyped pacing when their partner was removed and recovered the initial level of stereotyped behaviour when their cage-mate was re-introduced (P <0.01). Likewise, CONG quail also recovered the initial values of heart rate after the re-introduction of their cage-mate, indicating an increase in sympathetic activity compared to the isolation period. When the unfamiliar congener or ball was introduced in their cage, BALL quail pecked the unknown ball more than the familiar ball and had more contact with it (P <0.05) and CONG quail had more contact with the unknown congener than with the cage-mate (P <0.05). In conclusion, the quail appeared to experience a negative affective state before being separated, and there was no clear evidence of negative emotion in quail in response to the separation from either a social partner or an inanimate object. Nevertheless, the emotional responses of the quail in reaction to the (re-)introduction was influenced by the familiarity of the congener or the ball. Finally, changes in the quail's social environment induced more behavioural and cardiac modifications than changes in its non-social environment.