Calcium and Strontium Metabolism in Japanese and Bobwhite Quail

The use of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) as laboratory animals in biomedical and poultry research is increasing due to their small size and rapid maturity. This rapid maturity (6 weeks from hatching) introduces the question of how comparable the Japanese is to the Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) quail (maturing at 5 to 6 months of age). During growth, an element of considerable importance and one bound to be affected by the attainment of sexual maturity is calcium. Strontium is an element biologically similar to calcium and of comparable importance from the viewpoint of a radioactive contamination of the environment. This report will provide a comparison of strontium and calcium biological halflives and uptakes in immature Bobwhite and Japanese quail at different ages. METHODS Twenty-five microcuries of 45 Ca (1 mg. Ca) or 89 Sr (carrier-free) in chloride form were administered orally to Bobwhite and Japanese quail before their first feeding. At periodic…