Manifestations of social stress in grouped Japanese quail

Physiological manifestations of social stress in stable and unstable (resident and visitor) pairs of adult male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) were compared after 7, 14, 21 and 28 days of regrouping. Unstable pairs had reduced body and relative testes (mg/100 g) weights. Plasma cholesterol was increased significantly in unstable pairs, and adrenal cholesterol was reduced significantly by daily regrouping of unstable pairs. Twelve consecutive days of ACTH treatment (2, 4 or 8 IU/100 g body wt given intramuscularly) to birds in stable pairs induced a decrease in body and relative testes weights. The results were similar to those found in birds subjected to daily regrouping.