Influence of rearing temperature and feed format in the development of the pendulous crop in broilers.

The pendulous crop is characterized by excessive distension of the crop musculature, compromising the bird's productivity and welfare. The etiology is still unknown, but it is believed that factors related to the birds' handling might be related to its incidence. The study was conducted in 2 environmental chambers. One was maintained at a comfortable temperature, while the other was set at a much lower temperature. In each chamber, animals were divided into 16 experimental pens (8 received mash feed and the others received pelletized feed) with a density of 12 birds/m2 (an expected stocking density of 32-36 kg/m2 after 42 d). The effects of rearing temperatures were evaluated in terms of broiler performance, specifically weight gain (kg), feed intake (kg), weekly feed intake (kg/wk), and feed conversion (kgfeed/kggrowth). The occurrences of pendulous crop were quantified every 2 d after the 14th day of rearing. Birds grown in thermal comfort and fed a pelletized ration were most susceptible (12%) to pendulous crop, followed by birds fed pelletized feed and reared in cold conditions (6.8%), and birds given mashed feed and reared at either temperature (about 3%). We concluded that feeding pelleted feed combined with warmer rearing temperatures may have caused some alteration of the gastrointestinal system of birds, which caused pendulous crop to be more prevalent.

Poultry rearing on perforated plastic floors and the effect on air quality, growth performance, and carcass injuries-Experiment 1: Thermal Comfort.

The present study investigated the use of perforated plastic floors in the rearing of male and female poultry under thermal comfort conditions. The study was conducted in 2 climate chambers, in one was conventional poultry litter (wood shavings) and in the other was a perforated plastic floor. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with the factors wood shavings and plastic floor. In each chamber, the animals were divided into 16 experimental pens (8 with males and 8 with females) with a density of 12 birds/m2. The poultry rearing effect was evaluated in terms of air quality (% concentration of ammonia [NH3] and carbon dioxide [CO2]); broiler performance, e.g., weight gain (kg), feed intake (kg), feed conversion, carcass yield and parts (%), meat production (kg/m2), and viability (% of live birds at d 42); scores of hygiene and mobility; and injuries in the chest, hocks, and footpads. Treatments affected air quality, with higher concentrations of NH3 on d 42 (25 ppm vs. 2 ppm) and CO2 (1,400 ppm vs. 1,000 ppm) for wood shavings than for perforated plastic floor, respectively. Males showed a better performance (weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion) than females on d 42 in both floor types (wood shavings and plastic floor). Males reared on wood shavings showed a higher meet production (35.992 kg/m2) than females (32.257 kg/m2). On the plastic floor, males showed a better viability (100%) than females (94.05%), as well better meet production for males (38.55 kg·m-2) than females (31.64 kg/m2). There was no incidence of breast lesions in any of the studied systems. The birds reared on the plastic floor had better hygiene scores and lower hock injury rates than birds reared in the wood shavings chambers. The results of the present study show that the use of perforated plastic floors in chicken farming is an efficient method, which promotes a better-quality environment, superior production rates, and reduced incidence of injuries.

Crescimento e deposição de nutrientes nas penas, músculo, ossos e pele de frangos de corte de duas linhagens comerciais / Growth and nutrient deposition on feathers, muscles, bones, and skin of two broiler chicken strains

Conduziu-se este trabalho, com o objetivo de avaliar o perfil de crescimento e de deposição de nutrientes nas penas, nos músculos, nos ossos e na pele de machos e fêmeas de frangos de corte das linhagens Ross e Cobb, no período de 1 a 56 dias de idade. Foram utilizados 1920 pintos, alojados em boxes de um galpão experimental, em piso. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, fatorial (2 x 2), sendo 2 linhagens e 2 sexos, 4 repetições de 120 aves cada. As aves foram alimentadas com ração, formuladas para atender às exigências nutricionais das aves nas diferentes fases de criação. As aves foram abatidas semanalmente, após um jejum de 24 horas e, em seguida, foram depenadas, evisceradas e realizadas a separação dos ossos, da pele e dos músculos, estes foram pesados e armazenados em câmara fria. Após, foram moídos e liofilizados para realizar as análises laboratoriais. Os parâmetros de peso e de deposição de nutrientes obtidos semanalmente foram estimados em função da equação de Gompertz, e as taxas de crescimento por meio das derivadas das equações. Houve interação (P<0,05) entre linhagens e sexo para peso à maturidade (Pm) e idade de máximo crescimento (t*) do peso e proteínas das penas e Pm, b (taxa de maturidade) e t* de peso do músculo. O crescimento das penas foi mais tardio para as aves Cobb, contudo, a ave Ross foi mais tardia na taxa de crescimento de proteína no músculo. Os parâmetros para peso dos ossos e pele, foram semelhantes entre as linhagens estudadas.

The objective of this work was to study the profile of growth and nutrient deposition on muscles, bones and skin of Ross and Cobb male and female broiler chicken from the age of one day to 56 days. We used 1920 chicks raised in experimental boxes. The experimental design was randomized in a factorial model (2 x 2), with 4 replications of 120 birds each. The birds were fed with diets formulated to supply the nutrient requirements according to each breeding phase. The birds were slaughtered weekly, after 24 hours of fasting, then they were completely plucked and feather samples were collected. The birds were eviscerated and after separating the skin and muscles from the bones, they were weighed, identified and stored in a cold chamber. Thereafter, the samples were ground and freeze-dried to be analyzed in laboratory. There was an interaction (P<0.05) between strains and gender for the parameters Pm and t* of the weight of plucked and fasting birds, water and body ashes, weight and feather proteins and Pm and t* for the muscle weight. Cobb strain was more precocious regarding growth and deposition of protein. The Pm of the muscle did not differ between the studied strains, however, Ross strain presented late growth rate of protein in the muscle and was precocious in the fat deposition rate. The parameters of the Gompertz equation were similar between strains for protein and skin weight.

Desenvolvimento folicular de embriões de frangos de corte de diferentes genótipos expostos ao estresse térmico crônico / Folicular development of chicken broiler embryos of different genotypes, exposed to chronic thermal stress

O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as alterações tegumentares (morfogênese da pena), em embriões de frangos de corte de linhagens de diferentes padrões de crescimento, obtidos de ovos incubados sob diferentes temperaturas. Os ovos foram obtidos de matrizes das linhagens Cobb 500 e ISA JA57, distribuídos proporcionalmente em três incubadoras. Do primeiro (D1) ao sexto dia (D6) de incubação, utilizou-se uma temperatura padrão (37,8°C). A partir do sétimo dia (D7) e até o momento do nascimento aos 21 dias (D21), uma das incubadoras teve a temperatura reduzida para 36,8°C (fria) e uma outra alterada para 38,8°C (quente). A terceira incubadora foi mantida a 37,8°C (controle). O delineamento adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 x 2 (temperatura de incubação e linhagem). A temperatura de incubação e a linhagem não alteraram a densidade dos folículos da pena (número médio de folículos por área de 337,5µm²) nas regiões femural e dorsopélvica dos embriões até os 11 dias (D11). Entretanto, observou-se aumento na densidade folicular na região dorsal dos embriões aos 16 dias (D16) devido ao aumento da temperatura, permanecendo até o momento do nascimento. É possível oncluirque embriões incubados em temperatura acima da recomendada (38,8°C) apresentam uma maior densidade de folículos na região dorsopélvica. Apesar disso, a morfogênese dos folículos permaneceu inalterada.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the tegument modification (feather morphogenesis) in embryos of broiler chicken, of different growth standard breeder lines, obtained from eggs incubated under different temperatures. Eggs of Cobb 500 and ISA JA57 breeders lines, were proportionally distributed in three incubators. From the first (D1) to the sixth day (D6) of incubation, temperature was maintained standard at 37.8°C. From the seventh day (D7) until the moment of the birth on the twenty one days (D21), temperature was reduced to 36.8°C (Cold) in one of the incubators, and in another incubator was increased to 38.8°C (Hot). The temperature in the third incubator was maintained at 37.8°C (Control). It was used a completely randomized design with factorial 3 x 2 (temperature of incubation and breeder lines). Incubation temperature and breeder factor do not modify the follicular density of the feather (average number of follicles per area of 337.5µm²) in the femoral and dorsal tract of until eleven days (D11) embryos. An increase of follicular density in the dorsal region of sixteen days (D16) embryos was observed, because the temperature increased, of the remaining until the moment of birth, demonstrating that embryos incubated above the recommended temperature (38.8°C) present higher follicles density in the dorsal tract. However, follicles morphogenesis remained unaltered.

Empenamento, níveis hormonais de triiodotironina e tiroxina e temperatura corporal de frangos de corte de diferentes genótipos criados em diferentes condições de temperatura / Feathering, triiodothyronine and thyroxine plasma levels and body temperature of two broiler lines raised under different temperatures

Estudou-se o empenamento, os níveis hormonais de Triiodotironina (T3) e Tiroxina (T4) e a temperatura corporal de frangos criados em diferentes temperaturas. Foram alojados 180 pintainhos Cobb 500 e 180 pintainhos ISA Label JA57, em temperaturas termoneutra, quente ou fria. O delineamento utilizado foi inteiramente ao acaso, em modelo fatorial 2 x 3 (2 linhagens e 3 temperaturas) com 8 repetições. Houve um aumento das concentrações de T3, nas aves criadas no frio, e uma redução no calor. Também no calor, os frangos ISA Label apresentaram níveis mais altos de T4. As aves Cobb apresentaram uma redução de T4 no calor ou no frio aos 42 dias e no calor aos 21 dias de idade. Houve menor empenamento aos 42 dias, quando os frangos foram criados em alta temperatura e um menor empenamento das aves ISA Label, quando comparadas aos frangos Cobb. As aves criadas no calor apresentaram maior temperatura corporal. Os frangos Cobb apresentaram um aumento na sua temperatura interna, quando criados em ambiente quente. Já os frangos da linhagem ISA Label mantiveram sua temperatura interna, independentemente da temperatura ambiente. É possível concluir que a temperatura ambiente afeta o empenamento dos frangos de corte de linhagens de rápido ganho de peso, que também apresentaram menor tolerância ao calor, demonstrada através de uma maior temperatura corporal e temperatura interna.