An evaluation of alternative methods for sanitizing hatching eggs.

Different sanitization methods were evaluated as alternatives to formaldehyde fumigation for the reduction of eggshell and yolk sac microbiological counts, improvement of eggshell quality, incubation parameters, and day-old chick quality. A total of 10,080 hatching eggs were collected from a 70-wk-old commercial broiler breeder flock and distributed in a completely randomized block design with seven treatments: fumigation with paraformaldehyde (5.03 g/m3/30 min), fumigation with ozone (5-15 ppm/30 min), ultraviolet light-C irradiation (8.09 mW/cm2; 120 s; UV-C), hydrogen peroxide spraying (3%; 0.69 mL/egg), peracetic acid spraying (0.3%; 0.69 mL/egg; PAA), water spraying (0.69 mL/egg; water control), and without disinfection (dry control-DC). Spraying eggs with PAA and UV-C significantly reduced aerobic bacteria plate counts compared to the DC group. In addition, eggs disinfected with PAA had lower Enterobacteriaceae counts than the DC and water control groups. Eggshell quality, incubation parameters, and microbiological counts for yolk sac did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments. This study demonstrated the potential for the application of PAA and UV-C for eggshell disinfection instead of formaldehyde; however, an electronic microscopic evaluation of the eggshell is necessary to determine if these methods cause any damage to the cuticle.

Multigenerational effects of a reduced balanced protein diet during the rearing and laying period of broiler breeders. 1. Performance of the F1 breeder generation.

Studies on mammals and poultry showed that maternal dietary treatments can alter the offspring performance. However, in contrast to rodent studies, little is known about multigenerational dietary manipulations in broiler breeders. The presented research aimed to investigate the effects of a reduction of 25% in the dietary crude protein (CP) level in the F0 generation on the body composition and reproductive performance of F1 broiler breeders. In the F0 generation, breeders were fed either a control (C) or reduced balanced protein (RP) diet, 25% reduction in crude protein and amino acids. Female F0-progeny of each treatment were fed a C or RP diet, resulting in 4 treatments in the F1 breeder generation: C/C, C/RP, RP/C, and RP/RP. The reproductive performance of breeders fed RP diets was negatively influenced by the dietary CP reduction in the F1 generation (P < 0.001). Moreover, breeders descending from hens that received RP diets in the F0 generation showed a significantly reduced reproductive capacity compared to their control fed counterparts (P < 0.001). Breeders fed RP diets in the F1 generation were characterized by higher plasma T3 concentrations (P < 0.001), an increased proportional abdominal fat pad (P < 0.001) and proportional liver weight (P < 0.001). During the rearing phase, the RP fed breeders needed a higher feed allowance, whereas no differences could be observed between the C/C and RP/C or the C/RP and RP/RP breeders. However, breeders originating from birds fed RP diets in the F0 generation needed lower feed allocations in the laying phase to maintain a similar body weight. Egg weight was reduced for the C/RP and RP/RP breeders. At 34 wk of age, eggs from C/RP and RP/RP breeders showed a reduced proportional albumen weight, whereas no effects on egg composition were found at 42 wk of age. It was concluded that prenatal protein undernutrition triggered hens to relocate more energy towards growth and maintenance and less towards reproductive capacity.

Efeito da protease sobre o coeficiente de metabolizabilidade dos nutrientes em frangos de corte / Effect of protease on the metabolization coefficient of nutrients in broilers

Avaliaram-se os efeitos da protease sobre o coeficiente de metabolizabilidade dos nutrientes em dietas contendo farinha de penas (2,0% na fase inicial e 3,0% na fase de crescimento) para frangos de corte machos, Cobb(r), de um a 32 dias de idade. Foram alojadas 336 aves em gaiolas metálicas equipadas com bandeja para coleta total de excretas. Foi utilizado delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2x2 (com e sem adição da enzima protease 0,05% e duas valorizações da matriz nutricional da enzima), sendo sete repetições por tratamento, de 12 aves cada. Observou-se, na fase inicial, maior CMPB (P≤0,05) para as aves que, independentemente da adição de protease, consumiram ração com valorização da matriz nutricional da enzima. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre o CMMS e o CMEE (P>0,05). Na fase de crescimento, houve interação entre os tratamentos para as variáveis CMPB e CMEE. Os frangos alimentados com dieta valorizada sem adição de enzima (controle negativo) apresentaram melhores resultados (P≤0,05) para CMPB e CMEE. Nos tratamentos com enzima, o melhor CMEE (P≤0,05) foi obtido com o tratamento sem valorização da matriz nutricional (over the top). Conclui-se que níveis reduzidos e enzima sem valorização melhoram os coeficientes de metabolizabilidade dos nutrientes na fase adulta de frangos de corte.(AU)

This experiment aimed to evaluate the effects of protease on metabolization coefficient of nutrients, performance and slaughter yield from male Cobb(r) broilers fed diets with feather meal. Two experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design in a 2x2 factorial arrangement - with (0.05%) or without enzyme addition x considering or not the improvement of the nutritional value by protease, with seven replicates per treatment group. In experiment 1 the metabolization coefficient of dry matter (MCDM), crude protein (MCCP) and ether extract (MCEE) in initial (9-12-d-old) and growth (29-32-d-old) phase was evaluated. In the initial phase it was observed that regardless of enzyme addition, broiler chickens fed a diet considering improvement in nutritional value had higher MCCP (P≤0.05). However, MCDM and MCEE were not affected (P>0.05). In the growth phase, there were interactions between treatments for the variables MCCP and MCEE. The birds fed diets considering the improvement in nutritional value without enzyme (negative control) showed better results (P≤0.05) for MCCP and MCEE. In the treatments with enzyme, the best MCEE (P≤0.05) was observed in the treatment not considering the improvement in the nutritional value (over the top). Therefore, considering the improvement in the nutritional value and enzyme without considering the improvement in the nutritional value improves the coefficients of metabolization of nutrients in broiler chickens.(AU)

Características de carcaça de codornas de corte EV1 alimentadas com diferentes níveis de metionina+cistina total / Carcass traits of EV1 quail strain fed different methionine+cystine level diets

O peso e o rendimento das carcaças de codornas de corte da linhagem EV1 foram avaliados no 35° dia de idade em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, com os tratamentos consistidos de um fatorial 2 x 6, ou seja, dois sexos e seis níveis de metionina+cistina totais (0,73; 0,79; 0,85; 0,91; 0,97 e 1,03%), quatro repetições e 12 aves por unidade experimental. Foram avaliados peso corporal, peso e rendimento de carcaça, peito, coxa, asas, vísceras comestíveis e gordura abdominal. Não houve efeito da interação sexo x nível de metionina das dietas para nenhuma das variáveis analisadas. Houve efeito quadrático dos níveis de metionina+cistina sobre peso corporal, carcaça, peito, coxa, asa e coração, com pontos de máximo em 0,93% para peso corporal, carcaça, peito e coxa; 0,90% para peso de asa e 0,92% para peso de coração. O peso de fígado aumentou de forma linear à medida que foram aumentados os níveis de metionina+cistina das dietas. Os níveis de metionina+cistina da dieta influenciaram de forma quadrática nos rendimentos de peito e asas, com pontos de máximo estimados para codornas alimentadas com dietas contendo 0,96% e 0,98% de metionina+cistina, respectivamente. O maior rendimento de moela foi obtido nas codornas alimentadas com 0,73% de metionina+cistina. O peso corporal de carcaça, peito, coxa, asa, fígado, moela e o rendimento de fígado nas fêmeas foram maiores que nos machos. A exigência de metionina+cistina para pesos de carcaça e peito é 0,93%, e para rendimento de peito 0,96%...

Carcass weight and yield of European quail strain EV1 were evaluated at 35 days of age in a completely randomized experimental design, with the treatments consisting of a 2 x 6 factorial combination, two sexes and six different methionine+cystine levels of diets (.73; .79; .85; .91; .97 and 1.03%), with four replicates and 12 quails per experimental unit. Body weight, weights and yields of carcass, breast, thigh, wing and, edible giblets and abdominal fat were recorded. Significant and quadratic effect of methionine+cystine level on body weight, weights of carcass, breast, thigh and heart were observed with estimated maximum of body weight and weights of carcass, breast and thigh for quails fed .93% methionine+cystine diets, .90% for wing weight and .92% for heart weight. Increasing and linear response of liver weight to methionine+cystine level of diet was estimated while breast and wing yields showed quadratic responses with estimated maximum for quails fed .96% and .98% methionine+cystine level diets. Higher gizzard yield was observed for quails fed .73% diets. Higher body weight, and weights of carcass, thigh, wing, liver, gizzard and liver yields were estimated for females. Methionine+cystine requirement for quail carcass and breast weights is .93% and for breast yield .96%...