FEEDING PATTERNS AND RESPONSE TO CALORIC DILUTION IN JAPANESE QUAIL

Ten Japanese quail were maintained on Purina Game Bird Startena for 8 weeks, then exposed to 28-day periods on the same food diluted with 20%, 40%, and 60% by weight of non-nutritive cellulose, with intervening 21-day recovery periods on undiluted food. Food and water intake were measured daily and the temporal distribution of eating and drinking was recorded. Dilutions of 20% and 40% cellulose produced an initial weight loss, followed by maintenance of a reduced weight. Weight loss continued throughout the 60% dilution period. Food and water intake increased slightly on 20% cellulose dilution, greatly on 40%, and somewhat less on 60% than on 40%. The 60% dilution produced great between-subjects variability in intake. The pattern of eating and drinking on normal food showed closely spaced, short eating bouts in morning and late afternoon, and widely spaced, shorter bouts in early afternoon. On dilutions above 20%, this pattern was replaced by nearly continuous eating. © 1969.