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The objective of this study was to determine and compare the levels of amino acids (AAs) in breast and thigh muscles of six species of feathered game of the same age. The experiment involved the following species: wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), chukar partridge (Alectoris chucar), Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica), common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) and grey partridge (Perdix perdix). The highest content of AAs was found in the chukar partridge (breast: 815.7 ± 47.71 g/kg; thigh: 771.4 ± 107.0 g/kg, on a dry matter basis), the lowest levels of AAs were found in Japanese quail (breast: 734.2 ± 45.07 g/kg) and grey partridge (thigh: 614.9 ± 49.66 g/kg). In all examined species, the level of histidine in breast muscles differed (P ≤ 0.01) from that in thigh muscles. In all investigated species, the levels of essential AAs in breast muscles were higher (P ≤ 0.01) than those in thigh muscles, whereas the levels of non-essential AAs in breast muscles were lower (P ≤ 0.01) than those in thigh muscles. Breast muscles are therefore more valuable than thigh muscles because of the content of essential AAs.

The aim of this work was to investigate the behaviour patterns of a cage-housed breeding flock of pheasants during the day in the early stage of laying period, and evaluate the differences in behaviour patterns between male and female pheasants. Observations were carried out with a flock of common pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) consisting of 1 male and 5 female pheasants aged 2 years that showed a minimum rate of aggression in the previous laying. Behaviour patterns of birds were studied using a 15-minute video recording taken at each hour during the day (from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.). The rates of activities such as feeding, movement, resting, scratching, preening, mating and aggression in female pheasants differed significantly from those in the male, as observed throughout the day. The rate of feeding had 2 peaks in hens (in early morning and late evening). Generally, the feed intake in females was observed throughout the day whereas the male received feed less frequently but at a higher rate, particularly in the afternoon. The highest rate of movement was observed for both male and female pheasants in morning hours followed by a decline in movement activities which was slow in hens and rapid in the cock, with the subsequent second peak before dark. Except for 7 a.m., resting was among behaviour patterns with the highest rate in both genders throughout day, with lower rates in females as compared to the male. The stereotype behaviour was observed in hens more frequently, with a peak in a period from 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. The highest frequency of mating was observed in the evening after 7 p.m.