Resumo

Feed additive alternatives to antibiotics, such as organic acids, and substances rich in polyphenols, such as tangerine wort, can promote improved intestinal health in broilers by modulating the microbial population and improving nutrient utilization. In this work, a product which combines organic acids (fumaric acid 0.5%, lactic acid 5.13%, citric acid 5.44% and ascorbic acid 1.2%) and tangerine wort (Citrus reticulata) 8.36% was studied. To determine the effect and the most appropriate level of inclusion of product in the diet of broilers, an experiment was carried out with 1400-day-old male chicks, in a conventional poultry house, evaluating the performance until 42 days of age. The birds were housed in RCB design with 5 treatments and 7 replicates of 40 birds each, and the diets with the additive inclusions were evaluated: A250 (250 mg/kg), A500 (500 mg/kg), A1000 (1000 mg/kg), a negative control (NC, not supplemented), and a positive control (PC, 10 mg/kg of enramycin). The diets were formulated based on corn and soybean meal, containing added phytase and without anticoccidial; the additives replaced an inert in the basal diet. Performance characteristics, microbiota count, morphometry and jejunum morphology were evaluated. Considering the overall experimental period, the inclusion of the alternative additive based on organic acids and tangerine wort at different levels (250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg) did not result in difference from the negative control diet or the positive control with the inclusion of the antibiotic enramycin for performance traits (p>0.05), as well as for the microbiota count, morphology, jejunal morphometry and viability. Considering the period of 29-35 days alone, treatment with 500 mg/kg of alternative additive improved weight gain and feed intake of the chickens (p<0.05), but had no effect on feed conversion.(AU)

Resumo

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supra-nutritional level of selected B vitamins in different types of diet on broiler performance. Two experiments were conducted using male and female one-day-old chicks (n=288 each; initial body weights in experiment I and II was, respectively, 47.57 ± 0.43, and 47.98 ± 0.31) reared in batteries up to 18 days. In experiment I, the chicks were fed a corn and soybean meal-based diet and, in experiment II, a diet containing oxidized animal by-product meals and soybean oil was used. Both experiments followed a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, consisting of the factors: i) supplementation levels of selected B vitamins (control, 3- or 6-times control of the vitamins riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, folic acid and vitamin B12); ii) dietary nutritional density (low or high), totaling 6 treatments and 8 replicates of 6 birds each (3 males and 3 females). As result of this study, in Exp. I, chicks showed higher weight gain (741.1 g vs. 697.3 g) and feed intake (920.2 vs. 878.5 g) when fed low-nutritional density diet with supra-nutritional vitamin level 6-times higher than the control. However, this effect was not found in the performance of chickens fed high-nutritional density diet. Despite the poor quality of the ingredients used in Exp. II, no statistical effect was shown of the use of vitamin super-dose in rations with different dietary nutrient density. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly improved for chickens fed high-nutritional density diet (1.191 vs. 1.246 in experiment I, 1.244 vs. 1.275 in experiment II, p 0.01). We conclude that birds fed a vegetable diet formulated with low-dietary density improved body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) when receiving supra-nutritional levels of vitamins 6-times higher than the control.

Resumo

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the dietary addition of different levels of glycerin on the performance, litter moisture, pododermatitis incidence, and carcass and parts yield of broilers. In total, 1,610 broilers were reared in 35 pens with 46 birds each. A completely randomized experimental design, with five treatments with seven replicates was applied. The experimental treatments were: T1: control diet; T2: dietary inclusion of 5% glycerin from 1-42 days of age; T3: dietary inclusion of 10% glycerin from 1-42 days of age; T4: dietary inclusion of 5% glycerin from 7-42 days of age; T5: dietary inclusion of 10% glycerin from 7-42 days of age. The diets containing glycerin fed since the pre-starter period improved broiler weight gain and feed conversion ratio, but did not influence feed intake or livability. At the end of the experiment, the production efficiency index of the broilers fed 10% glycerin during the entire rearing period was significantly reduced compared with the other treatments. Litter moisture in the pens of broilers fed 10% glycerin during the entire rearing period was higher compared to the other treatments since day 21.Diets containing 10% glycerin, both for the entire rearing period (1-42 days) or only after the pre-starter phase (7-42 days), influenced broiler performance and incidence of severe pododermatitis, reducing the production efficiency indexes at 42 days. Glycerin may be added up to 5% in broiler´s diets with no effect on performance, litter moisture and carcass yield, indicating that this co-product of the biodiesel industry can be used as an alternative feedstuff for broilers.

Resumo

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the quality of different glycerine sources produced in Brazil and to analyze their metabolizable energy levels and digestibility for broilers. Firstly, the composition of 10 samples of glycerine from different sources was analyzed. Secondly, glycerine from four different sources presenting contrasting compositions were selected to determine their metabolizable energy levels and digestibility in metabolism assays using 200 broilers between 21 and 29 days of age, applying the method of total excreta collection. The values of apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen balance of the four glycerine sources were 3145, 5026, 2828, and 2892 kcal/kg.

Resumo

The performance, carcass traits, and litter humidity of broilers fed increasing levels of glycerine derived from biodiesel production were evaluated. In this experiment, 1,575 broilers were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design into five treatments with seven replicates of 45 birds each. Treatments consisted of a control diet and four diets containing 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, or 10% glycerine. The experimental diets contained equal nutritional levels and were based on corn, soybean meal and soybean oil. The glycerine included in the diets contained 83.4% glycerol, 1.18% sodium, and 208 ppm methanol, and a calculated energy value of 3,422 kcal AMEn/kg. Performance parameters (weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, live weight, and livability) were monitored when broilers were 7, 21, and 42 days of age. On day 43, litter humidity was determined in each pen, and 14 birds/treatment were sacrificed for the evaluation of carcass traits. During the period of 1 to 7 days, there was a positive linear effect of the treatments on weight gain, feed intake, and live weight gain. Livability linearly decreased during the period of 1 to 21 days. During the entire experimental period, no significant effects were observed on performance parameters or carcass traits, but there was a linear increase in litter humidity. Therefore, the inclusion of up to 5% glycerine in the diet did not affect broiler performance during the total rearing period.(AU)

Resumo

Foi avaliada a eficiência de uma fitase (FT) bacteriana na liberação de fósforo fítico utilizando-se curvas de calibração para características ósseas e de desempenho em frangos de corte. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente ao acaso, com seis tratamentos e seis repetições até 28 dias de idade. O tratamento-controle foi uma dieta à base de milho e farelo de soja deficiente em fósforo (P). Dois tratamentos corresponderam às dietas basais acrescidas de P suplementar, 0,05 por cento e 0,10 por cento, e os outros à dieta basal com 66, 99 e 131 FTU/kg de ração. A curva padrão é definida pelo efeito da adição de P suplementar consumido sobre características ósseas e de desempenho, e os resultados dos tratamentos com fitase são confrontados com a curva para cálculo de P liberado. A adição de P suplementar influenciou o ganho de peso, o peso vivo e o consumo de ração de forma quadrática, bem como miligramas de cinzas ósseas de forma linear. A curva padrão adotada foi da variável miligramas de cinzas ósseas, pois a resposta linear melhor descreve a curva. As inclusões de 66, 99 e 131 FTU/kg liberaram, respectivamente, 0,048 por cento, 0,049 por cento e 0,062 por cento de P. A fitase bacteriana é eficiente na liberação de fósforo fítico e possui viabilidade econômica.

The objective was to determine the efficiency of a bacterial phytase to release phytate phosphorus using calibration curves for performance and bone characteristics in broiler chickens. A completely randomized design with 6 treatments and 6 replicates was used in an experiment with chickens from 1 to 28 days of age. The control treatment was a diet based on corn and soybean meal deficient in phosphorus. Two treatments consisted of the basal diet supplemented with additional phosphorus (0.05 percent and 0.10 percent), and the other treatments received 66, 99 and 131 FTU/kg of feed. The standard curves represented the effect of the levels of additional P intake on performance and bone variables. Then, the responses of the phytase treatments were compared to the standard curves to calculate the P released. The increasing levels of supplemental P had a quadratic effect on weight gain, live weight and feed intake, and linear effect on mg of bone ash. The standard curve elected was mg of bone ash because linear response better represents the curve. Inclusion of 66, 99 and 131 FTU/kg released 0.048 percent, 0.049 percent and 0.062 percent. The bacterial phytase is efficient in releasing phytate, which may be of economical significance.

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Feed is responsible for about 70% of broilers production costs, leading to an increasing number of studies on alternative dietary products that benefit bird performance and lower production costs. Since the 1950s, antimicrobial additives are the most frequently used performance enhancers in animal production and their positive results are observed even in high-challenge conditions. Since the 1990s, due to the ban of the use of some antibiotics as growth promoters and the growing trend of the public to consume natural products, plant extracts have been researched as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters. The first study that evaluated the antibacterial activities of plant extracts was carried out in 1881; however, they started to be used as flavor enhancers only during the next decades. With the emergence of antibiotics in the 1950s, the use of plant extracts as antimicrobial agents almost disappeared. There are several studies in literature assessing the use of plant extracts, individually or in combination, as antimicrobials, antioxidants, or digestibility enhancers in animal feeds. Research results on the factors affecting their action, such as plant variety, harvest time, processing, extraction, as well as the technology employed to manufacture the commercial product and dietary inclusion levels show controversial results, warranting the need of further research and standardization for the effective use of plant extracts as performance enhancers, when added to animal feeds. This article aims at presenting plant extracts as alternatives to antibiotics, explaining their main modes of action as performance enhancers in broiler production.

Resumo

Two experiments were carried out to assess the efficacy of plant extracts as alternatives for antimicrobial growth promoters in broiler diets. The performance experiment included 1,200 male broilers raised from 1 to 42 days of age. The metabolism experiment used 96 male broilers in the grower phase housed in metabolic cages for total excreta collection. At the end of the metabolism experiment, 24 birds were sacrificed to assess organ morphometrics. In both experiments, the following treatments were applied: control diet (CD); CD + 10 ppm avilamycin; CD + 1000 ppm oregano extract; CD + 1000 ppm clove extract; CD + 1000 ppm cinnamon extract; and CD + 1000 ppm red pepper extract. The microencapsulated extracts contained 20% of essential oil. No significant differences (P>0.05) in the studied performance parameters were observed among treatments. The dietary supplementation of the extracts did not influence (P>0.05) nitrogen-corrected apparent metabolizable energy values. In general, organ morphometrics was not affected by the experimental treatments, but birds fed the control diet had higher liver relative weight (P 0.05) as compared to those fed the diet containing red pepper extract, which presented the lowest liver relative weight. These results showed that there was no effect of the tested plant extracts on live performance or in organ morphometrics.

Resumo

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary oxidized poultry offal fat on the performance of broilers and on the oxidative stability of dark chicken meat. One hundred and sixty male chicks were fed a corn-soybean meal diet containing 4% fresh or oxidized poultry fat from 10 to 47 days of age. Fresh fat was stored frozen until diets were produced, and oxidized fat was obtained by electrical heating (110 to 120 ºC). Birds were slaughtered at 47 days of age, and carcass characteristics were measured. Skinless and deboned thigh meat was stored chilled during 12 days, and samples were periodically collected to assess their quality and oxidative stability. Dietary oxidized fat did not affect bird performance or carcass characteristics. During chilled storage, meat color (L*, a* and b*) was not affected by dietary treatments; however, TBARS (Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances) values were higher (P 0.05) in thigh meat from chickens fed the oxidized fat, indicating that oxidative stability was adversely affected.

Resumo

Two trials were carried out to investigate the need for supplemental biotin in the diet of weanling pigs when high dietary copper is used as growth promoter. Wheat - soybean meal based feeds, containing marginal levels of biotin (.10 ppm) were supplemented or not with .4 ppm biotin (BIO) and 250 ppm copper (COP). The diets were fed to 168 piglets weaned at 4 weeks of age with an average weight of 7.8 kg. The trials were conducted for 5 weeks. In trial 1 there was a BIO x COP interaction (P .05) for weight gain; BIO resulted in a 10% improvement in gain in absence of COP, but not when COP was present; COP resulted in a 16% improvement in absence of BIO and no improvement when BIO was present. There was also a main effect of COP on feed efficiency (P .05), resulting in a 7% improvement. A similar tendency was observed in trial 2, but the differences were not significant (P > .05). The combination of supplemental BIO and COP did not result in further improvement in performance compared to the individual supplementation.

Dois experimentos foram conduzidos para investigar a necessidade de suplementação de biotina na dieta de leitões recém desmamados quando o cobre é utilizado como promotor de crescimento. Rações com níveis marginais de biotina (0,10 ppm), formuladas à base de trigo e farelo de soja, foram suplementadas ou não com 0,4 ppm de biotina (BIO) e 250 ppm de cobre (COB) e fornecidas a 168 leitões desmamados com 4 semanas de idade e peso médio de 7,8 kg. Os experimentos tiveram duração de 5 semanas. No experimento 1 houve uma interação BIO x COB (P 0,05) no ganho de peso dos leitões, com BIO promovendo uma melhora de 10% na ausência de COB, mas não na presença de COB; COB resultou em um aumento de 16% no ganho de peso na ausência de BIO, mas não em sua presença . Também houve uma melhora de 7% na conversão alimentar dos leitões que receberam COB (P 0,05). A mesma tendência foi observada no experimento 2, e embora a magnitude das diferenças tenha sido semelhante, não houve significância (P > 0,05). A suplementação conjunta de COB e BIO não melhorou o desempenho dos animais, em relação a sua suplementação individual.

Resumo

This study was conducted to assess the effects of different dietary levels of sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) on performance and blood electrolyte concentration of starter pigs. The treatments consisted of diets based on corn and soybean meal containing 0.12 or 0.18% Na and 0.04; 0.12 or 0.20% Cl in a factorial arrangement. Six weaning pigs were housed in each of 12 pens in a complete randomized block design with 2 replicates per treatment. The average initial weight was 7.5 kg and the trial was conducted for 4 weeks. Sodium bicarbonate and ammonium chloride were the sources of Na and Cl, respectively. Plasma determinations of Na, Cl, Ca and P were performed at the end of the trial. Sodium did not affect performance of the piglets (P >.10). The lower Cl level (.04% Cl) resulted in less weight gain and feed efficiency (P .01), than the other two higher Cl levels. The lower dietary Cl also reduced plasma Cl and P (P .01), but did not affect plasma Ca and Na. It is concluded that combinations of dietary levels of 0.12 or 0.18% Na and 0.12 or 0.20% Cl resulted in normal performance of starter pigs.

Este estudo foi realizado para avaliar os efeitos de diferentes níveis dietéticos de sódio (Na) e cloro (Cl) sobre o desempenho e concentração de eletrólitos no sangue de suínos na fase inicial. Os tratamentos consistiram de rações à base de milho e farelo de soja com 2 níveis de Na (0,12 e 0,18%) e 3 níveis de Cl (0,04; 0,12 e 0,20%) num arranjo fatorial. Foram utilizadas 12 baias, contendo 6 animais cada, num delineamento em blocos casualizados com duas repetições por tratamento. O peso médio inicial foi 7,5 kg e o experimento teve duração de quatro semanas. O bicarbonato de sódio e o cloreto de amonio foram as fontes de Na e Cl, respectivamente. As concentrações plasmáticas de cálcio, fósforo, sódio e cloro foram determinadas ao final do experimento. Não houve efeito de níveis de Na sobre o desempenho (P > 0,10) dos animais. As dietas não suplementadas com Cl (0,04% Cl) resultaram em ganho de peso e conversão alimentar inferiores (P 0,01), não havendo diferença significativa entre os outros níveis de Cl (P > 0,10). O nível mais baixo de Cl resultou em menor concentração plasmática de Cl e P (P 0,01), não afetando Ca e Na no plasma. As diferentes combinações de 0,12 ou 0,18% Na com 0,12 ou 0,20% Cl na dieta resultaram em desempenho adequado dos leitões.

Resumo

The effect of vitamin C supplementation (75 and 150 mg/kg) was evaluated in male broiler feeding under heat stress, crowding and normal floor space conditions. The results showed that crowding conditions (10 vs. 14 birds/m²) affected negatively (P 0.05) body weight gain from 28 to 48 days of age. Feed conversion from 35 to 48 days of age was unproved (P 0.01) in birds supplemented with 75 mg/kg as compared to the control. Birds which received 150 mg of vitamin C per kg of feed showed better feed conversion than the control birds, but differences were not significant.

Avaliou-se o efeito da suplementação da vitamina C (75 e 150 mg/kg) na alimentação de frangos de corte machos sob condições de estresse de calor e superlotação. As aves foram criadas sobre "cama" de cavaco de madeira nas lotações de 10 e 14 aves/m². O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial (3 níveis de vitamina C na ração e 2 lotações), com 5 repetições. Os resultados indicaram que o aumento da lotação de criação prejudicou (P 0,05) o ganho de peso das aves no período final da criação. A conversão alimentar dos 35 aos 48 dias de idade foi melhor (P 0,01) nas aves que receberam suplementação de 75 mg/kg em comparação com o controle. A suplementação de 150 mg/kg deu média de conversão alimentar melhor do que a média da testemunha, porem, as diferenças não foram significativas. A suplementação de vitamina C apresentou efeito benéfico no desempenho de frangos de corte. O benefício se mostrou particularmente importante na melhoria da conversão alimentar.

Resumo

There are some evidences described in the literature showing reduced energy metabolizability of ingredients for newly hatched chicks. Hence, a metabolism trial was carried out with the objective of determining the metabolizable energy of corn grain, soybean meal and micronized full fat soybean for newly hatched chicks. The method of total excreta collection was used in an experiment with 192 male chicks from one to seven days, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates of twelve birds. Excreta were collected from four to seven days of age. The treatments included a reference diet, two test-diets consisting of 60% of the reference diet and 40% of the test ingredients: corn grain (CG) and soybean meal (SM), and one test-diet consisting of 80% of the reference diet and 20% of micronized full fat soybean (MFFS). The N-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and the metabolizability coefficient of gross energy (MCGE) of the ingredients determined for the chicks were respectively 3,213 kcal/kg and 81.6% for CG; 2,085 kcal/kg and 49.7% for SM and 4,068 kcal/kg and 74.8% for MFFS.

Resumo

This study was conducted to determine the effect of microbial or antimicrobial additives on the performance and organ morphology of broilers raised in batteries or in floor pens. The effect of microbial additives on the presence of oocysts in the litter was also studied. Experiments 1 and 2 consisted of four treatments (non-supplemented control diet or diet supplemented with avilamycin, bacitracin methylene disalicylate or enramycin) and six repetitions in a randomized block design. In Experiment 1, 288 day-old chicks were housed in heated batteries in a environmentally controlled room, 12 chicks per cage; in Experiment 2, 1,200 day-old chicks were housed in a curtain-sided experimental house, with concrete floor and rice hulls as litter material, 50 chicks per pen. Experiments 3 and 4 were carried out similarly to Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, but the treatments consisted of microbial additives (non-supplemented control diet or Bacillus subtilis added to the feed plus Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus johnsonii added to the water, undefined microflora added to the water or live yeast added to the feed). The antibiotics did not affect the performance of birds raised in batteries, but improved feed conversion, weight gain and live weight when chickens were kept on the floor pens. Microbial additives did not affect bird performance in any environment; however, treatments affected liver weight. Microbial agents increased intestinal weight in floor-raised broilers. No relationship was seen between the use of microbial additives and the presence of oocysts in the litter.

Resumo

Birds of four meat-type chicken lines were reared at the semi-intensive system with the objective of evaluate the adaptation to these breeding systems through environmental and behavioural parameters. The experimental period took place between 35 and 75 days of age during which it was collected data of number of broilers in the pasture, air temperature and relative humidity inside the boxes and in the pasture areas, and percentage of shadow in the pasture areas. Environmental factors influenced the behaviour of the evaluated lines. The bioclimatic analysis and the observation of the chicken behaviour allowed to discriminate the studied lines regarding to the adaptation to the semi-intensive breeding system. The broilers of the evaluated lines showed adaptation to the semi-intensive system, presenting the expected behaviour for this breeding system.

Aves de quatro linhagens de galinhas para corte foram criadas no sistema semi-intensivo, em 16 boxes, sendo 4 boxes por linhagens, com 4,5 m² de área interna (abrigo) e 35 m² de área de pastejo, com o objetivo de analisar a adaptação dessas linhagens a esse sistema de criação, através de parâmetros ambientais e comportamentais. O período experimental desenvolveu-se entre 35 e 75 dias de idade, durante o qual foram coletados dados relativos à quantidade de aves presentes no pasto, temperatura e umidade relativa nos boxes e no pasto e porcentagem de sombra no pasto. Os parâmetros ambientais monitorados influenciaram o comportamento das aves. A análise bioclimática e a observação do comportamento permitiram diferenciar as linhagens estudadas no que diz respeito à adaptação das linhagens ao sistema semi-intensivo de criação. As aves das linhagens avaliadas mostraram-se adaptadas ao sistema semi-intensivo por demonstrar o comportamento esperado para esse sistema de criação.