Laying parameters of meat quails breeders submitted to lighting programs at growing phase / Parâmetros de postura de codornas de corte reprodutoras submetidas a programas de luz na fase de crescimento

When applied at growing phase, lighting program aims to obtain quails with body weight and physiological maturity suitable for the beginning of laying. This study evaluated lighting programs at growing phase on performance, sexual maturity and egg quality of meat quail breeders (Coturnixcoturnix) at laying phase. From 7 to 49 days of age, 300 female meat quails were subjected to three lighting programs (natural, intermittent and continuous), with 5 replicates of 20 birds each. At 49 days of age, 240 quails were transferred to a shed, maintaining the same experimental conditions. Meat quails submitted to continuous and intermittent lighting programs had higher weight of reproductive system and lower ages for first egg production and to reach 50% of egg production (P < 0.05). Quails submitted to natural lighting had lower feed intake from 49 to 70 and 71 to 92 days of age and worse feed conversion up to 114 days of age. Continuous and intermittent lighting programs resulted in more precocious quails compared to natural lighting program. Quails submitted to natural lighting at growing phase presented lower egg production during all periods, not differing for birds submitted to continuous and intermittent programs from the second period (71 to 92 days of age). Intermittent and continuous lighting result in better feed conversion of breeding quails up to 114 days and a higher percentage of laying (49 to 136 days), reducing the number of days to produce the first egg and to reach 50% of laying, in relation to natural lighting.

Quando aplicado na fase de crescimento, o programa de luz visa obter codornas com peso corporal e maturidade fisiológica adequados para o início da postura. Este estudo avaliou programas de iluminação na fase de crescimento sobre o desempenho, maturidade sexual e qualidade dos ovos de codornas de corte reprodutoras (Coturnix coturnix) na fase de postura. Durante o período de sete a 49 dias de idade, 300 codornas de corte fêmeas foram submetidas a três programas de iluminação (natural, intermitente e contínuo), com cinco repetições de 20 aves cada. Aos 49 dias de idade, 240 codornas foram transferidas para um galpão, mantendo a mesma distribuição experimental e submetidas às mesmas condições. As aves submetidas aos programas de iluminação contínuo e intermitente na fase de crescimento apresentaram maiores peso relativo do sistema reprodutivo e consequentemente menores idades para produção do primeiro ovo e para atingir 50% da produção de ovos (P < 0.05). As aves que receberam apenas iluminação natural apresentaram menor consumo de ração nos períodos de 49 a 70 e 71 a 92 dias de idade e pior conversão alimentar até 114 dias de idade. Os programas de iluminação contínua e intermitente na fase de crescimento resultaram em codornas mais precoces quando comparados as aves submetidas ao programa de iluminação natural. Codornas submetidas a programa de luz natural na fase de crescimento apresentaram menor produção de ovos durante todos os períodos, não diferindo das aves submetidas a programas contínuos e intermitentes a partir do segundo período (71 a 92 dias de idade). A iluminação intermitente e contínua na fase de crescimento resulta em melhor conversão alimentar de codornas reprodutoras até 114 dias e maior percentual de postura (49 a 136 dias), reduzindo o número de dias para produzir o primeiro ovo e atingir 50% de postura, em relação a iluminação natural.

Alternative additives associated in the feeding of laying hens: performance, biometrics, bone traits, and economic evaluation-an unsupervised machine learning approach.

Given the current bans on the use of some growth promoting antibiotics in poultry nutrition, the need to use alternative additives which could replace traditional promoters in diets has arisen. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternative additives, associated or not, in replacing the antibiotic growth promoter in the diets of laying hens on performance, egg quality, biometry, bone characteristics, and economic viability. A total of 378 birds at 97 weeks of age, weighing 1691 ± 80g with an average production of 79.96 ± 4.9%, were randomly distributed and submitted to different diets: negative control - NC (no additive); positive control - PC, conventional growth promoter (Enramycin); associated organic acids (OA); symbiotic (S); Essential oil (EO); OA + S; and S+EO. The diet did not influence (P > 0.05) performance, egg quality, biometry, and bone traits. However, the use of alternative additives and their associations with the exception of S+OA, provided better economic indices when compared to NC and CP. The first component showed a negative relationship between feed conversion per mass and dozen eggs with gut length, Seedor index, egg production, and egg mass; the second component showed a positive relationship between yolk, pancreas, proventriculus, and gizzard; and, finally, the third component showed that feed consumption has a negative relationship with bone strength and deformity. The first two canonical functions were significant and discriminated 100% of the differences between the diets. Moreover, 50% of the birds were correctly classified in their group of origin, in which the positive control group (83.3%) and OA+S presented the highest rates of correct responses (66.7%). Bone deformity and bowel length were the only two variables with discriminatory power. Natural growth promoters alone or in association do not harm performance, egg quality, digestive organs biometry or bird bone characteristics, in addition to promoting greater economic return. Thus, they can be considered possible substitutes for traditional antibiotics. Finally, unsupervised machine learning methods are useful statistical techniques to study the relationship of variables and point out the main biomarkers of poultry production.

Glycerin from biodiesel in the feeding of red-egg layers / Glicerina oriunda do biodiesel na alimentação de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vegetable glycerin on performance and egg quality of red-egg layers in the second production cycle. A total of 252 Hy-Line Brown layers weighing 1.919 ± 0.095 kg, at 90 weeks, were used in a completely randomized design with six treatments and seven birds per replication. The experiment lasted 84 days. Treatments consisted of a control diet (no glycerin) and five diets with increasing levels of vegetable glycerin (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%). The following variables were evaluated: feed intake (g/bird/day); egg production (%); egg weight (g); egg mass (g/bird/day); conversion per egg mass (kg kg) and per dozen eggs (kg/dz); percentages of albumen, yolk, and shell; eggshell thickness (mm); and egg specific gravity. (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) and egg mass (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) improved linearly with the glycerin levels. A quadratic effect was observed (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X 3,169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) on feed intake. In conclusion, glycerin can be used to partially replace corn in diets for layers in the second production cycle at inclusion levels of up to 10%.(AU)

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da glicerina vegetal sobre o desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos em segundo ciclo de produção. Foram utilizadas 252 poedeiras Hy-Line Brown, pesando 1,919 ± 0,095 kg com 90 semanas, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com seis tratamentos e sete aves por repetições. O experimento teve duração de 84 dias. Os tratamentos consistiram em uma dieta controle (sem glicerina), e cinco dietas com níveis de glicerina vegetal (2, 4, 6, 8 e 10%). As variáveis avaliadas foram: consumo de ração (g/ave/dia), produção de ovos (%), peso do ovo (g), massa de ovos (g/ave/dia), conversão por massa de ovos (kg/kg), conversão por dúzia de ovos (kg/dz), percentual de albúmen, gema e casca, espessura de casca (mm) e gravidade específica dos ovos. A produção (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) e massa de ovos (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) melhoraram linearmente com os níveis de glicerina. Foi observado efeito quadrático (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X 3.169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) sobre o consumo de ração. Conclui-se que a glicerina pode ser utilizada em substituição parcial ao milho, nas dietas para poedeiras em segundo ciclo de produção, no nível de até 10% de inclusão.(AU)

Glycerin from biodiesel in the feeding of red-egg layers / Glicerina oriunda do biodiesel na alimentação de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vegetable glycerin on performance and egg quality of red-egg layers in the second production cycle. A total of 252 Hy-Line Brown layers weighing 1.919 ± 0.095 kg, at 90 weeks, were used in a completely randomized design with six treatments and seven birds per replication. The experiment lasted 84 days. Treatments consisted of a control diet (no glycerin) and five diets with increasing levels of vegetable glycerin (2, 4, 6, 8, and 10%). The following variables were evaluated: feed intake (g/bird/day); egg production (%); egg weight (g); egg mass (g/bird/day); conversion per egg mass (kg kg) and per dozen eggs (kg/dz); percentages of albumen, yolk, and shell; eggshell thickness (mm); and egg specific gravity. (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) and egg mass (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) improved linearly with the glycerin levels. A quadratic effect was observed (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X 3,169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) on feed intake. In conclusion, glycerin can be used to partially replace corn in diets for layers in the second production cycle at inclusion levels of up to 10%.

Objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos da glicerina vegetal sobre o desempenho e qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras de ovos vermelhos em segundo ciclo de produção. Foram utilizadas 252 poedeiras Hy-Line Brown, pesando 1,919 ± 0,095 kg com 90 semanas, em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com seis tratamentos e sete aves por repetições. O experimento teve duração de 84 dias. Os tratamentos consistiram em uma dieta controle (sem glicerina), e cinco dietas com níveis de glicerina vegetal (2, 4, 6, 8 e 10%). As variáveis avaliadas foram: consumo de ração (g/ave/dia), produção de ovos (%), peso do ovo (g), massa de ovos (g/ave/dia), conversão por massa de ovos (kg/kg), conversão por dúzia de ovos (kg/dz), percentual de albúmen, gema e casca, espessura de casca (mm) e gravidade específica dos ovos. A produção (Y = 67.69 + 54.23X, R2 = 0.78) e massa de ovos (Y = 44.84 + 42.87X, R2 = 0.66) melhoraram linearmente com os níveis de glicerina. Foi observado efeito quadrático (Y = 114.11 + 336.96 X 3.169.6 X2, R2 = 0.52) sobre o consumo de ração. Conclui-se que a glicerina pode ser utilizada em substituição parcial ao milho, nas dietas para poedeiras em segundo ciclo de produção, no nível de até 10% de inclusão.