Sunflower cake associated with crude glycerin in white laying hens diets: Performance and quality, antioxidant activity and lipid oxidation of eggs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sunflower cake inclusion and its association with crude glycerin in the diet of laying hens. A total of 320 laying hens with 39 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with 5 replications of 8 birds. The studied factors were 4 inclusion levels of sunflower cake and 2 levels of crude glycerin. The inclusion of 210 g/kg of sunflower cake reduced egg mass and worsened feed conversion, and after the level 70 g/kg there was reduction in yolk coloration and specific density of eggs with or without the addition of glycerin in the diet. The addition of 70 g/kg of crude glycerin reduced the specific density of eggs in all levels of sunflower cake. There was increase in phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant activity in eggs and reduction in lipid oxidation of yolks from fresh and stored eggs, with the inclusion of sunflower cake. The addition of crude glycerin increased the lipid oxidation of egg yolks. Therefore, it is possible to include up to 140 g/kg sunflower cake in the diet of laying hens, with or without crude glycerin, without impairing performance and egg quality, obtaining higher antioxidant capacity of eggs and lower lipid oxidation in yolks from fresh and stored eggs. The inclusion of 70 g/kg crude glycerin does not affect laying hens performance, however, it worsens shell quality and increases lipid oxidation in the liver and egg yolks.

Effects of mango peel ethanolic extract as antioxidant in quail diets on performance, carcass traits, and meat lipid stability.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of mango peel ethanolic extract (MPEE) as antioxidant in quail diets containing two lipid sources, on performance, carcass characteristics, and lipid stability of in natura and frozen meat. A total of 432 meat quails were used, males and females, from 7 to 42 days of age, distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 3 levels of MPEE (0, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) and 2 lipid sources (soybean and sunflower oil), totaling 6 treatments with 6 replications of 12 birds. In order to evaluate the meat lipid stability, carcass samples were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with 2 levels of MPEE (0 and 1000 mg/kg), 2 lipid sources (soybean and sunflower oil), 2 types of packaging (conventional and vacuum), and 3 storage times (0, 60, and 120 days), totaling 16 treatments with 6 replications. There was no effect of interaction (P > 0.05) between the factors on the performance variables and carcass characteristics. Oil types and MPEE levels did not influence (P > 0.05) performance. For carcass characteristics, it was found to be increased (P < 0.05) in breast meat yield due to the inclusion of MPEE. For the meat lipid stability, there was only an effect of interaction (P < 0.05) between type of packaging and storage time. The inclusion of 1000 mg/kg of MPEE provided greater meat lipid stability, enabling the use of common packaging for the storage of quail meat for up to 120 days.

Organic zinc and manganese and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol improves eggshell thickness in late-phase laying hens.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of organic micromineral zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation in late-phase laying hens' diets on performance, egg quality, lipid stability of fresh and stored eggs, and bone quality. The treatments were a basal diet and diets supplemented with 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet; 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet and 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; 1500 IU 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg diet; 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet; 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; and 1500 IU 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg diet. On performance, the birds supplemented with organic manganese had the lowest feed intake. Regarding egg quality, the birds supplemented with Zn-Met and Mn-Met, with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol alone, and with Zn-Met, Mn-Met and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol presented a greater eggshell thickness than those receiving the basal diet. Lipid stability of the yolk varied only according to storage time. No effect of supplementation was observed on bone quality. Supplementation with Zn-Met and Mn-Met, or associated with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol alone, improved eggshell thickness in aged white layers. However, the associated or isolated supplementation with these nutrients did not influence performance, lipid stability of fresh and stored egg yolk or bone quality.