Cottonseed Oil in Diets for Broilers in the Pre-Starter and Starter Phases.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of crude cottonseed oil in isoenergetic diets, with or without supplementation of ferrous sulfate, on performance variables, relative weight of organs, and blood parameters of broilers, and on the economic viability of diets in the periods from 1 to 7 and 1 to 21 days of age. A total of 600 male birds of the Ross line were distributed in a completely randomized design in a (4×2) factorial arrangement with eight treatments (0, 2, 4, and 6% cottonseed oil with and without ferrous sulfate), and five replicates. The following variables were studied: feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion, weight of organs, blood parameters, and yield of carcass and cuts at 21 days. No effects of the levels of cottonseed oil were found on the performance of animals aged 1 to 7 days, or on the relative weights of the organs. In this same period, the weight gain, and the relative weights of heart, liver, and intestine of the animals that received ferrous sulfate were decreased, and feed conversion was worsened. In the period from 1 to 21 days, weight gain increased linearly with the increase in the levels of cottonseed oil. Blood parameters were not influenced by the diets. Crude cottonseed oil can be utilized in diets for broilers in the periods from 1 to 7 and 1 to 21 days of age at up to 6% of inclusion, and supplementation with ferrous sulfate is unnecessary if the differences in metabolization of the cottonseed oil are considered, with and without, it during the diet formulation process.

Pesquisa de fungos produtores de ocratoxina A em granola comercializada / Ochratoxin A-producing fungi in commercial granola

Este trabalho efetuou a identificação das espécies fúngicas presentes na granola e analisou a capacidade das cepas produzirem ocratoxina A. As amostras foram adquiridas no comércio do município de Teresina-Piauí, no total de 60 amostras de quatro diferentes marcas. Foram realizadas as metodologias de contagem,isolamento e identificação das espécies fúngicas; e as cepas da seção Nigri foram testadas quanto à capacidade de produção de ocratoxina A. Em 11 das amostras analisadas não houve o crescimento fúngico,e nas amostras em que houve os valores chegaram a 5,17 log10 UFC/g. Houve diferença significativa (p <0,05) entre as diferentes marcas de granola analisadas. Os gêneros fúngicos mais frequentemente isolados foram Cladosporium (46,9 %), seguido de Aspergillus spp. e seus teleomorfos (37,4 %), e do gênero Penicillium spp. (5,4 %). A amostra de granola da marca A apresentou contagens bem mais elevadas do que as demais, o que indica que possivelmente tenha ocorrido falhas em alguma(s) etapa(s) do processo de industrialização. Todas as cepas isoladas de Aspergillus seção Nigri não apresentaram capacidade de produção de ocratoxina A.

The present study aimed at identifying the fungal species occurring in granola, and to verify the abilityof the strains in producing ochratoxin A. Sixty granola samples of four different brands were purchasedin commercial establishments located in the city of Teresina – Piauí state. The fungi were counted,isolated and the species were identified, and the section Nigri strains were tested for detecting their abilityin producing ochratoxin A. No fungal growth was found in 11 of the analyzed samples. In samplesshowing fungal growth, it was as high as 5.17 log10 CFU/g. A significant difference (p<0.05) amongthe analyzed granola brands was found. The most frequently isolated fungus genus was Cladosporium(46.9 %), followed by Aspergillus spp and its teleomorphs (37.4 %), and Penicillium spp. (5.4 %). Thegranola brand A showed the highest counting among the analyzed brands, which demonstrated that apossible failure at some stages of the industrialization process might be occurred. None of the isolatedAspergillus section Nigri strains showed the ability in producing ochratoxin A.