**1. Introduction**

402 Modern Telemetry

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> The common pheasant is a species that comes from Asia: its natural geographical distribution includes the central western and eastern areas of Asia, from Caucaso to Formosa island. It has been largely introduced in Europe: in Italy since Roman age, in most of central western and eastern Europe between 500 and 800 B.C.; much later it has been introduced also in North America, Hawaii islands, New Zealand and in many other countries (Cramp & Simmons, 1980; Hill & Robertson, 1988; Johnsgard, 1986). In Italy the populations of pheasant are composed of hybrids coming from subspecies of "*Phasianus colchius*" part of "*colchius*" group, "*mongolicus*" and "*torquatus*" and from the two subspecieses of "*Phasianus versicolor*" (Brichetti, 1984). At the present, the nominal subspecies can be considered extinct in Italy: the last stocks, probably extinct or genetically contaminated by captive reared pheasants released for hunting purposes, survived until the end of last century in Tuscany, Basilicata, Calabria and some other small areas of the north Italy. It is difficult to establish the consistency of the Italian population of this species, because its distribution is not known and because generally data density are missing. The Italian population is constituted by more or less isolated sub-populations, preserved in Protected Areas (PA) and in few hunting areas. The groups of animals, which are in free hunting territories, cannot be considered real populations because these groups are not selfsustaining, but they are artificially re-constituted year after year by regular restocking with new pheasants, breeders or young ones, captive reared or wild ones captured in no hunting areas during the winter months (Santilli & Bagliacca, 2008).

#### **1.1 Rearing technique of breeders**

The breeders are selected by the farmers within the same hatching group on vivacity of temperament, origin, health, body development, size and feather condition. The weight and growing speed are so very important. The restocking, which is carried out by the farmers during January and February, is the formation of harems constituted by one male and 5-6 females, or colonies of breeders constituted by 8-10 males and 40-50 females. The breeders are raised in outside little ground pens (1 or more pheasant/sq.m) or in cages. The wild females lay approximately 15-20 eggs and the best farmed hens up to 80-100 eggs. The top of the output of the wild animals is recorded between the second and the third year of activity.

Radiotracking of Pheasants (*Phasianus colchicus* L.): To Test Captive Rearing Technologies 405

The major problems associated with traditional methods of farming have arisen with the uncritical application of criteria of domestic poultry production to the rearing of game. This approach has favored the most domestic characteristics, the productivity in captivity is therefore greatly increased, both for direct selection and for the natural, often unconscious, breeding selection. Another effect was to reduce pheasant genetic variability that the original group of subjects had. In addition, the reproducers, have been identified among pheasants producing the best performance in captivity and, consequently, has increased exponentially the selection of subjects suitable for captive breeding. The genotype of the pheasants that were most productive in the rearing has thus spread rapidly in all breeders and from them into the wild. The farms became more intensive over time, as a result of increased demand for captive birds. Stocking density was greatly increased, especially through the use of devices that limited the aggressiveness, and the extensive phase, represented by the finisher period spent in the aviaries that replicate the wild environment, has worsened, reducing time and going to a progressive degradation of the environment. The arboreal vegetation, as required by pheasants roost for the night, was eliminated from nearly all the farms, because his presence made more difficult to manage the aviaries and did not allow to achieve low and cheaper structures. The herbaceous vegetation, suitable for the pheasants and planted inside the aviaries for food and mimicry, has been reduced since plant cultivation inside the aviaries is difficult and expensive; seeds suitable for pheasants has been almost completely abandoned and remained only the species useful for camouflage and natural weed of reduced interest for pheasant nutrition (Bagliacca et al., 1994). At the same time the high density and the constant use of farm breeders , with the culling of the subjects with imperfect plumage (pecked), determined the increase of the aggressiveness in the farm pheasants. Discarding the pheasants which were injured not only chooses the most aggressive animals, but also chooses those with the most beautiful plumage (bright and intense colors) (Bagliacca et al., 1996). Since it is known that the characteristics of the plumage are secondary sexual characteristics associated with the level of sex hormones, with this choice, preference was given automatically to animals more aggressive, which occupy the highest positions in the scale of the pecking order and which are the subjects with the greater performances (higher ovarian efficiency and deposition rates). The use of mechanical devices to control aggression has become so indispensable in almost all farms. The application of various models of antipecking devices (such as beak guards, blinkers, or ring-beak bite) completely alters the behavior during captivity. These systems in fact hamper the functionality of the bill, preventing contact with the object of the same pecking, counter the complete closing, or block the direct frontal view needed to catch or flight. Diets normally used in rearing, rich in energy, protein and low in fiber, differ from those that the pheasants can find into the wild. In captive rearing concentrate diets also allow the weaker subject to reach the reproductive age. Concentrate diets thus contribute to the selection of domestication or captive rearing, with clear negative consequences on the genetics of animals whose aim is the wildlife. Concentrate diets also do not allow a proper development of the caeca, necessary for the use of poor food in nature. The adaptation of the digestive system to the diluted diets (poor in nutrients and rich in fiber), typical of

pheasants living in the wild, needs at least 30 days (Bagliacca et al. 1994, 1996).

The term restocking is defined as the release of individuals of a species still existing in the habitat, but with a reduced population levels. This type of intervention, using farm subjects,

**1.4 Considerations on restocking of wild pheasants** 

**1.3 Problems related to traditional rearing** 

At the end of the reproductive season, the farmer who uses farm pheasants adapted to the breeding, eliminate his own breeders selling them as subjects "ready to be hunted". The farmer who uses breeding pheasants coming from the wild keeps them for 2-3 years. For this purpose the farmer chooses the most prolific and strong subjects and moves them into different and big aviaries, where they will recover their strength in view of the following reproductive season. The eggs of the pheasant, that have an average weight of 33 g., have a smooth shell and a changeable plain color from the light brown to the grayish - green. The reproduction is usually between March and July. The eggs are picked once - twice a day, and after the discarding of the defective ones, are preserved in special drawers or in simple bowls containing fine sand, at a temperature below 18°C - 20°C no longer than 7-10 days, in rooms, with or without air changing. Before being incubated the eggs are disinfected by formaline fumigation, ozone, UV rays, washing or nebulization of disinfectant. The incubation period lasts for 23-25 days and can be natural or artificial. In the natural incubation the eggs are hatched in varying numbers from 6 to 24, rarely by the pheasants, most of the times by hens. The artificial incubation is the most widespread and it is carried out in the same incubators used for poultry. The hatching takes average 24 hours and it is obtained in specific machines where the eggs are moved for the last 3 days of incubation. The pheasant chicks, hatched from the egg, remain 8-24 hours into the hatching machines, to totally dry up and to take a rest.

#### **1.2 Rearing technique of growing pheasants**

The breeding of the growing pheasants starts with the so called warm stage that takes about 3/5 weeks. The chicks are kept in well ventilated areas with a decreasing temperature from 37,6°C during the first 3 days, to approximately 21°C at the end of the third/fourth week.

In natural incubation the warm stage is carried out, by maternal warmth and in artificial incubation by artificial heaters, all over the shed or localized, the so called substitutes of the mother. For this purpose different equipment can be used: hot batteries (multi shelves heating cages in which 50 - 60 chicks can stay per shelf ) or radiant heaters suspended on the top of simple control circles (circular box in wood, plastic net or other, till the capacity of 500-600 little pheasants, equipped with gas heater, electric heater or infrared rays lamps put to the right height to guarantee the correct temperature at the pheasant level). In this first stage, the animals are submitted to the most of the vaccinations and treatments. Around day 21, the chicks raised for the repopulating operations are submitted to a transition stage. The animals from internal rooms, where the temperature never goes down 21°C, start to go to external grass parks, shaded and sheltered from winds. After 30 days, the so called cold stage starts and the chicks are placed in big breeding aviaries (between some hundreds sq.m to a few hectares) in which they have to get used to the external environment. These aviaries are localized in flat pieces of land or with little slope, loose with good drainage and totally enclosed by wire mesh supported by chestnut cement poles. The complete feed, pellets or crumbles, are replaced, partially or totally by rations containing cereal grains, but also vegetables (e.g. salad, nettle, alfalfa and so on) to ensure proper fiber intake. When the pheasants are 60-70 days old can reach the territory of release. These pheasants, however, must stay, for a period of acclimatization (there they will prepare and exercise the functions required by free-living) in special aviaries with grass shrub and tree vegetation. These special aviaries must be prepared in the releasing areas.
