Evaluation of dietary lignin on broiler performance, nutrient digestibility, cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations, gut morphometry, and lipid oxidation.

Two trials were performed in order to evaluate the effects of dietary Kraft lignin inclusion on broiler performance, ileal nutrient digestibility, blood lipid profile, intestinal morphometry, and lipid oxidation of meat. Trial 1 was conducted in order to evaluate performance and ileal digestibility for the period of 1 to 21 d of age, randomly distributing 490 day-old broiler chicks across 5 dietary treatments with 14 replicates containing 7 birds each in metabolic cages, while trial 2 was executed in order to evaluate performance, blood parameters, intestinal morphometry, carcass yield and abdominal fat, and lipid oxidation for the period of 1 to 42 d of age, randomly distributing 900 day-old broiler chicks across 5 dietary treatments with 15 replicates of 12 birds each in floor pens, being each bird in trial 2 challenged with coccidiosis vaccine at 10 d of age. The treatments used in both trials were: positive control (PC): basal diet + antimicrobial; negative control (NC): Basal diet; NC1: NC + 1% lignin; NC2: NC + 2% lignin; NC3: NC + 3% lignin. For trial 1, it was observed that birds fed diets containing 1% lignin had a significant positive effect for BW, feed intake (FI), average daily weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion rate (FCR), similar to the PC, but also showing better EE, CP and AAs ileal digestibility percentages when compared to other treatments. For trial 2, it was observed that during the period of 21 to 35 d, the inclusion of lignin in the diet provided better results in animal performance, similar to the PC group, but at 42 d, animals fed with dietary lignin showed results lower than animals fed the PC diet (P < 0.05). Animals fed with increasing lignin concentrations showed decreasing levels of HDL (P < 0.05). As of intestinal morphometry, animals fed with 1% and 3% lignin showed longer intestinal length (P < 0.05). At 14 d of age, it was observed that animals fed with lignin showed oxidation levels similar to the control treatments. The inclusion of up to 1% lignin in the diet provides beneficial effects on productive performance and nutrient digestibility, while the inclusion of 2% lignin provided lower cholesterol levels, lower villus/crypt ratio, and better internal organ development, therefore, it can be considered an alternative to performance-enhancing antimicrobials in broiler chicken diets.

Influence of Dietary Phytase Inclusion Rates on Yolk Inositol Concentration, Hatchability, Chick Quality, and Early Growth Performance.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of dietary phytase in breeder hens on yolk nutrients, hatchability, chick quality, and growth rate of their progeny, and their subsequent performance to 42 d post-hatch when fed diets with the same phytase concentrations. Breeder hens (n = 216) were divided into 3 groups receiving nutrient-adequate diets with reduced calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) (by 0.16% and 0.15%, respectively), supplemented with either 500, 1500, or 4500 FTU/kg phytase from 27 to 50 weeks of age. Eggs were collected at 38 weeks of age and incubated. On the day of hatch, the chick quality and hatchability were determined, and 18 chicks/group were euthanized for yolk sac collection and the determination of inositol and glycerol concentrations. The remaining chicks were divided into three groups, receiving different diets with reduced Ca and P (by 0.16% and 0.15%, respectively), supplemented with 0, 500, or 1500 FTU/kg phytase to 42 d post-hatch. Increasing the phytase concentration in the breeder hen diet linearly (p < 0.05) increased the number of early embryo deaths and decreased the number of late deaths and pips. The inositol concentration in the yolk sac at day of hatch increased (quadratic; p < 0.05) as the phytase dose increased in the breeder hen diet. The breeder hen diet (p < 0.05) influenced the body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) up to 21 days of age. The supplementation of breeder hen diets with 1500 FTU/kg phytase increased the concentration of sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn) in the yolk sac. The inclusion of phytase doses up to 4500 FTU/kg appeared to influence embryo mortality, chick feed intake, and BW gain to 21 days and the FCR throughout the entire production phase.

Probiotics association in the suckling and nursery in piglets challenged with Salmonella typhimurium

This work aimed to study the probiotics association in 144 piglets from birth to 62 days old. In lactation, the design was completely randomized with two treatments, CTL, 1 mL of distilled water and ProbA, 5g in 15 ml of distilled water, both orally, and in the nursery in randomized block design, with 2x3 factorial arrangement of treatments, ProbA ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; CTL ProbB: 30g/ton of ProbB in the ration; ProbA ProbA, CTL CTL; ProbA CHA (challenged); CTL CHA. At 35 days of age the animal of the nursery were inoculated with Salmonella typhimurium orally. There was no effect of the parameters evaluated during the maternity. In nursery, the feed conversion was favorable to the ProbA. In the evaluation of fecal score, the challenged group had more diarrhea and increased elimination of S. typhimurium. Results showed the positive action of probiotics when applied at birth by the direct influence on the formation of the intestinal microbiota.

Morfometria do oviduto de poedeiras comerciais semipesadas submetidas a diferentes métodos de muda forçada / Morphometry of the oviduct of the brown egg layer hens submitted different methods of molt induction

Este experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a morfometria do oviduto de poedeiras submetidas a diferentes métodos de indução de muda forçada. Duzentas e oito aves com 58 semanas de idade foram distribuídas em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos (método Califórnia, dieta com alto teor de zinco, dieta com baixo cálcio e com baixo sódio) e quatro repetições de 12 aves cada. Avaliou-se a biometria do oviduto no início do experimento, no 28°. dia e em três períodos subseqüentes à realização da muda forçada, analisando-se o peso corporal da ave, a percentagem do oviduto e do ovário, o número de pregas do magno e do istmo e o comprimento das diferentes partes que compõem o oviduto. No período pós-muda, as características macroscópicas do oviduto não sofreram influência dos tratamentos estudados.

This experiment was aimed at evaluating the performance, oviduct morphometric, hormone concentration and bone density in laying hens submitted of the different methods of molt induction. Two hundred-eight laying hens, 58 weeks of age, were randomly divided into four treatments groups (california method, diet of high-zinc, diet of low-calcium and diet of low-sodium) and four replicates. The experiment evaluated biometrics characteristics on day 1, 28 of the experiment and in three periods postmolt: body weight, ovary percentage, oviduct percentage, number of folds of the magnum and isthmus, and length of the different parts of oviduct. In the postmolt period, the morphometric analysis of the birds were not affected by any of the experimental treatments.

Utilização da levedura desidratada (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) para leitões na fase inicial / Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) utilization for piglets in the initial phase

Foi conduzido um experimento com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da adição de diferentes níveis de levedura (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) desidratada na ração sobre o desempenho e a morfologia intestinal de leitões na fase inicial. Foram utilizados 280 leitões (fêmeas e machos castrados) de uma linha genética comercial de suínos, desmamados com 21 dias de idade e distribuídos em 20 baias, de acordo com o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com 5 repetições e 4 tratamentos experimentais (0, 5, 10 e 15 por cento de adição de levedura). Aos 45 dias de idade, três leitões de cada tratamento foram abatidos e colhidas amostras do duodeno e do jejuno para estudo da morfologia intestinal. Os níveis crescentes de levedura desidratada nas rações não afetaram (P>0,05) o ganho de peso, o consumo de ração e a conversão alimentar dos leitões. Com relação à morfologia do duodeno e do jejuno, também não houve efeito (P>0,05) dos níveis de levedura estudados sobre a altura das vilosidades, das profundidades das criptas e da relação vilosidade/cripta. Os resultados permitiram concluir que a levedura desidratada pode ser adicionada em até 15 por cento nas rações de suínos na fase inicial.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different levels of dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in diets about performance and intestinal morphology of piglets at initial phase. They used 280 piglets (females and castrated males) from genetic lines, weaned with 21 days of age, allocated in 20 pens in randomized design blocks, with 5 replications and 4 treatments (0, 5, 10 and 15 percent dried yeast addition). Samples of duodenum and jejunum of 3 piglets slaughtered at 45 days of age were collected from each treatment to study intestinal morphology. The increasing levels of dried yeast in rations did not affect significantly the weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion. In relation of duodenum and jejunum there was no significative effect (P>0.05) of dried yeast increased levels on villous height, crypt depth and villous crypt ratio. The results allowed to conclude that dried yeast can be added up to 15 percent in initial phase piglets diets.

Desempenho de poedeiras comerciais submetidas ou não a diferentes métodos de debicagem / Performance of layer hens submitted or not to different methods of the beak trimming

Foram utilizadas 288 aves da linhagem Isa Babcock avaliando o efeito da debicagem leve, severa e da não debicagem sobre o desempenho de poedeiras, distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 3x3 (primeira debicagem x segunda debicagem), com quatro repetições de oito aves cada. A primeira debicagem foi realizada aos nove dias e a segunda debicagem às 12 semanas. Avaliou-se consumo de ração, peso das aves, percentagem de postura e conversão alimentar em quatro períodos de 28 dias cada. De acordo com os resultados, aves com debicagem severa apresentaram menor consumo de ração e menor percentagem de postura(P<0,05).

Redução do nível protéico da dieta, através da formulação baseada em aminoácidos digestíveis / Protein levels reduction of broilers in the initial phase

Um experimento foi conduzido para estudar a redução do nível protéico da dieta, através da formulação baseada em aminoácidos digestíveis, de frangos de corte na fase inicial. Foram utilizados 800 pintos machos, Cobb, as quais foram pesados e distribuídos em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com 4 tratamentos (22 por cento, 20 por cento e 18 por cento PB formuladas com aminoácidos digestíveis e 1 tratamento testemunha com 22 por cento PB e formulada com aminoácidos totais), com 4 repetições de 50 aves cada. Foram avaliados o ganho de peso, consumo de ração e conversão alimentar. Quando as aves foram alimentadas com a dieta referência obtiveram, estatisticamente (P>0,05), o mesmo ganho de peso e conversão alimentar que as aves alimentadas com as dietas contendo 22 por cento PB e formulada com aminoácidos totais e com 20 por cento PB formulada com aminoácidos digestíveis. É possível trabalhar com dietas contendo menor nível protéico (20 por cento PB) sem afetar o desempenho das aves, quando a dieta for formulada com aminoácidos digestíveis.

Bone development of broiler chikens fed diets with different amino acid and calcium levels during the starter phase

Two experiments were conducted in order to evaluate the effects of different dietary amino acid and calcium profiles on the bone characteristics of two chicken strains (Avian Farms and Cobb) during the starter phase. At the end of each experiment, 2 chickens of each replicate were sacrificed and their tibiae were collected for analysis of following bone characteristics: bone measurements (weight, length and thickness of the compact and spongy layers) and bone density (bone densitometry). A total of 540 birds were used in each experiment, divided into fully randomized blocks with a 3 x 2 factorial schemes, i. e., 3 amino acid profiles (methionine, lysine and threonine ¡ 100 per cent, 125 per cent and 150 per cent of NRC recommendations, 1994) and 2 calcium levels (75 per cent and 100 per cent of NRC recommendations, 1994), with 30 birds per replicate. Birds of the Cobb strains fed 75 per cent of the recommended calcium allowance showed lower bone density. Calcium level significantly affected the weight and thickness of the spongy layer of the tibia. In birds of the Avian strain, bone density and measurements were not affected by any of the experimental treatments.