Lead toxicity of bobwhite quail.

Five experiments were conducted involving both juvenile and adult Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) to study the toxicity of lead acetate, lead shot, powdered lead and antimony. Performance of juvenile birds receiving up to 1,500 p.p.m. of lead as lead acetate was not significantly influenced during the six-week experimental period. Feeding 3,000 p.p.m. lead as lead acetate was not significantly influenced during the six-week experimental period. Feeding 3,000 p.p.m. lead as lead acetate was associated with a significant depression of body weight and an increase in mortality. Feeding growing quail up to 2,000 p.p.m. lead from either lead acetate or powdered lead, 3 or 6% antimony (as % of shot dosage or 5 lead shot per week caused no significant effects upon either body weight or mortality. No significant trends were noted in body weight, feed intake, semen quality or organ weight of adult quail that received up to 1,500 p.p.m. lead from lead acetate. Dosing adult Bobwhite quail cocks with 10 or more lead shot per week caused a significant increase in nortality, and more than 90% of those dosed with 30 shot per week died by the end of four weeks.