Biscuit residue in the nutrition of laying hens: effects on animal health, performance and egg quality

Background: Corn and soybean meal are common ingredients used in poultry feed in order to supply the demand forenergy and protein, respectively. Also, these ingredients directly influence the final price of the diets, and consequently,the final cost of production. A major problem is associated to the oscillation of these grains in some months of the year.Therefore, there is a need to search for nutritionally and economically viable alternatives to mitigate this problem. The aimwas to evaluate whether the addition of biscuit residue could partially replace the use of corn in the feed of laying hens inorder to obtain economic viability without impairment on production, egg quality and animal health.Materials, Methods & Results: The experiment was completely randomized and each repetition was considered one experimental unity. One hundred Hy-line brown 48 week-old chickens were allocated in cages and divided into five groupswith four repetitions each, allocating five animals per cage. The group T0 was composed by animals that received thebasal diet, i.e. without biscuit residue. The other groups were composed by increasing levels of biscuit residue to substitutecorn i.e., group T7 (7% of biscuit residue), T14 (14% of biscuit residue), T21 (21% of biscuit residue) and T28 (28% ofbiscuit residue). Productive performance of the animals, egg quality, as well as analysis of blood parameters related tolipid metabolism, carbohydrates and proteins of birds were measured at the beginning of the experiment (day 0) and atthe end of each cycle (days 21, 42 and 63 of experiment). Among the performance variables, only feed conversion wasaltered by biscuit residue, i.e., the feed conversion was lower in the groups that received the residue when compared tothe control. The replacement of corn by biscuit residue did not affect laying rate (P > 0.05). Regarding egg quality, a less...

Biscuit residue in the nutrition of laying hens: effects on animal health, performance and egg quality

Background: Corn and soybean meal are common ingredients used in poultry feed in order to supply the demand forenergy and protein, respectively. Also, these ingredients directly influence the final price of the diets, and consequently,the final cost of production. A major problem is associated to the oscillation of these grains in some months of the year.Therefore, there is a need to search for nutritionally and economically viable alternatives to mitigate this problem. The aimwas to evaluate whether the addition of biscuit residue could partially replace the use of corn in the feed of laying hens inorder to obtain economic viability without impairment on production, egg quality and animal health.Materials, Methods & Results: The experiment was completely randomized and each repetition was considered one experimental unity. One hundred Hy-line brown 48 week-old chickens were allocated in cages and divided into five groupswith four repetitions each, allocating five animals per cage. The group T0 was composed by animals that received thebasal diet, i.e. without biscuit residue. The other groups were composed by increasing levels of biscuit residue to substitutecorn i.e., group T7 (7% of biscuit residue), T14 (14% of biscuit residue), T21 (21% of biscuit residue) and T28 (28% ofbiscuit residue). Productive performance of the animals, egg quality, as well as analysis of blood parameters related tolipid metabolism, carbohydrates and proteins of birds were measured at the beginning of the experiment (day 0) and atthe end of each cycle (days 21, 42 and 63 of experiment). Among the performance variables, only feed conversion wasaltered by biscuit residue, i.e., the feed conversion was lower in the groups that received the residue when compared tothe control. The replacement of corn by biscuit residue did not affect laying rate (P > 0.05). Regarding egg quality, a less...(AU)

The protective effects of an adsorbent against oxidative stress in quails fed aflatoxin-contaminated diet

Background: Contamination of crops with aflatoxin is considered a serious global threat to food safety, since potent carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic and immunosuppressive effects of aflatoxins are well recognized. Recently, the use of adsorbents has been linked with protective effects against oxidative stress in several diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of oxidative stress in quails (Coturnix coturnix) fed with aflatoxin-contaminated diet, as well as the protective effect of an adsorbent.Materials, Methods & Results: Twenty-eight quails were divided into four groups (n = 7): diet without additives (control; the group A), diet and adsorbent containing aluminosilicates (the group B), aflatoxin-contaminated diet (200 ppb) (the group C), and aflatoxin-contaminated diet (200 ppb) and adsorbent containing aluminosilicates (the group D). The composition of the adsorbent containing aluminosilicates was 0.3% based on yeast cell wall, silymarin, and bentonite. The animals received feed and water ad libitum during 20 days. At the end of the experimental period, total blood was collected by cardiac puncture in tubes without anticoagulant to obtain serum (centrifuged at 3500 g during 10 min) for later determination of biochemical parameters. The liver was placed in a solution of Tris–HCl 10 mM, pH 7.4 for TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), ROS (Reactive oxygen species), SOD (Superoxide dismutase) and CAT (Catalase) analysis. The hepatic tissue was gently homogenized in a glass potter in specific buffer, homogenated, and centrifuged at 10.000 g at 4ºC for 10 min to yield a supernatant (S1) used for analyses. Homogenate aliquots were stored at -80°C until utilization. Fragments of liver and intestine (5 cm) were collected for histopathological analyses. Between days 15 to 20 of the experiment, group C quails showed clinical signs, such as apathy, creepy feathers and reduced feed intake.[...]

The protective effects of an adsorbent against oxidative stress in quails fed aflatoxin-contaminated diet

Background: Contamination of crops with aflatoxin is considered a serious global threat to food safety, since potent carcinogenic, teratogenic, mutagenic and immunosuppressive effects of aflatoxins are well recognized. Recently, the use of adsorbents has been linked with protective effects against oxidative stress in several diseases. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of oxidative stress in quails (Coturnix coturnix) fed with aflatoxin-contaminated diet, as well as the protective effect of an adsorbent.Materials, Methods & Results: Twenty-eight quails were divided into four groups (n = 7): diet without additives (control; the group A), diet and adsorbent containing aluminosilicates (the group B), aflatoxin-contaminated diet (200 ppb) (the group C), and aflatoxin-contaminated diet (200 ppb) and adsorbent containing aluminosilicates (the group D). The composition of the adsorbent containing aluminosilicates was 0.3% based on yeast cell wall, silymarin, and bentonite. The animals received feed and water ad libitum during 20 days. At the end of the experimental period, total blood was collected by cardiac puncture in tubes without anticoagulant to obtain serum (centrifuged at 3500 g during 10 min) for later determination of biochemical parameters. The liver was placed in a solution of Tris–HCl 10 mM, pH 7.4 for TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), ROS (Reactive oxygen species), SOD (Superoxide dismutase) and CAT (Catalase) analysis. The hepatic tissue was gently homogenized in a glass potter in specific buffer, homogenated, and centrifuged at 10.000 g at 4ºC for 10 min to yield a supernatant (S1) used for analyses. Homogenate aliquots were stored at -80°C until utilization. Fragments of liver and intestine (5 cm) were collected for histopathological analyses. Between days 15 to 20 of the experiment, group C quails showed clinical signs, such as apathy, creepy feathers and reduced feed intake.[...](AU)