Bidirectional selection for dustbathing activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica)

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Abstract
1. Divergent selection was conducted in male Japanese quail for high and low dustbathing activity as measured by the number of dust tosses during a dustbathing bout. 2. After 9 generations of selection the low, control and high lines averaged 6–9, 12.9 and 23.8 dust tosses per dustbathing bout respectively. Realised heritabilities in the low and high lines were 0.21±0.06 and 0.25±0.06 respectively, and agreed well with the heritability coefficient of 0.27±0.04 based on the combined sire and dam estimate from the sib analysis. 3. Correlated responses, similar to those in the selected trait, were found in the duration of the dustbathing bout and in the intensity index (the number of dust tosses per minute during a dustbathing bout). Heritabilities of latency, duration and intensity index were estimated as 0.14±0.04, 0.30±0.04 and 0.26±0.04 respectively. 4. It is concluded that postulated ethological needs may vary considerably between strains according to their genetic background and the previous history of selection of the birds during domestication.