Influence of dietary dacitic tuff breccia on laying hen performance and egg quality parameters and bone structure at 85 weeks of age after a non-anorexic molt program at 73 to 77 weeks.

The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of AZOMITE (AZM), a dacitic tuff breccia, in laying hens through egg quality and production parameters. A total of ninety six 73-wk-old Hy-Line W-36 commercial laying hens were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments, a control diet and the same diet containing 0.25% AZM, with 24 replicates of 2 hens/replication. From 73 to 77 wk, hens went through nonanorexic molt, and, from 77 to 85 wk, the hens were evaluated for egg production, eggshell quality, and bone health. At wk 85, tibiotarsi were collected for ash and mineral composition, ileal contents were collected for calcium, phosphorus, apparent metabolizable energy corrected for N (AMEn), and apparent nitrogen retention (ANR) evaluation. AZM-fed hens tended to have higher body weight (P = 0.07) from 82 to 83 and 84 to 85 wk, and higher hen day egg production than control (90.54 vs. 79.51%, P = 0.005) from 84 to 85 wk. In general, no differences were reported in feed intake, eggshell color, egg weight, albumen height, Haugh units, or eggshell thickness (P > 0.05). However, shell strength and elasticity were improved (P < 0.02) and yolk color was decreased (P = 0.03) in AZM-fed hens than control. Moreover, the digestibility of Ca, AMEn, and ANR was increased with 0.25% AZM compared to control (P < 0.01). Tibiotarsi P and Ca percentage were lower in AZM-fed birds than control (P < 0.01), without affecting bone strength and mineral density (P > 0.36). Therefore, the use of 0.25% AZM showed a potential in improving egg production and eggshell strength, while maintaining bone quality in post-molt laying hens.

Effects of functional oils on the growth, carcass and meat characteristics, and intestinal morphology of commercial turkey toms.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of functional oils containing cashew nutshell and castor oil on turkey performance and intestinal morphology. In experiment 1, 585 hatchlings were randomly placed in 15 replicate floor pens, (13 poults/pen) with recycled litter and provided feed and water ad libitum. Birds were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments from 1 to 12 wk: nonmedicated control, 0.15% functional oils, and 66-ppm monensin. From wk 13 to 20, each initial treatment group was further divided into 3 treatments-control (no additive), 0.15% of functional oils, or 20 ppm of virginiamycin to produce 9 different treatments, 5 replicate pens per treatment. Data on feed weights were collected weekly, and body weight bi-weekly. At termination (20 wk), birds were euthanized, and their meat was processed to determine mass of carcass sections and meat quality, while intestinal samples were collected for histology. In experiment 1, toms fed monensin or functional oils were 10.5 and 4.5% heavier (P < 0.05), respectively, than the controls at 12 wk. Birds fed monensin had a 4% improvement (P < 0.05) in feed conversion as compared to the other treatments. Neither virginiamycin nor the functional oils affected bird performance when fed from 13 to 20 wk. The jejunum villi surface area at 3 wk was most enhanced (P < 0.05) for the poults fed monensin. Supplementation with functional oils significantly reduced leg yield and thiobarbituric-acid reactive substances of white meat after 7 D of storage (P < 0.05). There were no effects on performance or carcass characteristics in experiment 2. While additional confirmatory studies are needed, functional oils in the diet of turkey toms may be a viable alternative to antibiotic growth promotants.

Suplementação da dieta de codornas com minerais nas formas orgânicas sobre o desempenho e a qualidade dos ovos / Supplementation in quail diet with organic minerals on performance and egg quality

Foram realizados três experimentos com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da suplementação de minerais na forma orgânica na dieta de codornas japonesas na fase de postura sobre o desempenho e a qualidade de ovos das aves. Os níveis de minerais utilizados por kg de ração, para cada experimento, foram: controle, 0,35, 0,70 e 1,05mg de Se orgânico (experimento 1); controle, 50, 100 e 150mg de Zn orgânico (experimento 2) e controle, 60, 120 e 180mg de Mn orgânico (experimento 3). As aves foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, sendo oito aves por parcela e seis repetições por tratamento. Foram avaliadas as características de desempenho - consumo diário de ração, peso dos ovos, porcentagem de postura, conversão alimentar por massa de ovos e por dúzia de ovos e viabilidade - e qualidade dos ovos - unidade Haugh, índice gema, porcentagens de casca, albúmen e gema, espessura de casca e gravidade específica. O Zn orgânico suplementado à dieta melhorou o desempenho das aves e a qualidade dos ovos, o Mn orgânico melhorou a qualidade da casca e reduziu o peso dos ovos e o Se não apresentou efeitos sobre as características avaliadas.

Three experiments were carried out to evaluate the effect of minerals in organic form in diet supplementation in Japanese quails performance. The levels of minerals used per kg of diet for each experiment were: Experiment 1: control, 0.35; 0.70 and 1.05mg organic; Experiment 2: control, 50; 100 and 150mg organic Zn; and Experiment 3: control, 60; 120 and 180mg organic Mn. The birds were randomly allotted in treatments with eight birds per experimental unit and six replicates per treatment. Performance traits of the quails estimated by daily feed intake, egg weight, egg production, feed conversion by egg mass and per dozen eggs and viability, and egg quality measured by Haugh unit, yolk index, shell, albumen and yolk percentage, shell thickness and specific gravity were evaluated. The organic Zn diet supplementation improved bird performance and egg quality, the organic Mn diet improved eggshell quality and reduced egg weight, and the Se diet did not affect the evaluated characteristics.

Effect of mannanoligosaccharides and/or enzymes on antibody titers against infectious bursal and Newcastle disease viruses / Efeito do mananoligossacarídeo e/ou enzimas sobre títulos de anticorpos contra os vírus das doenças de Gumboro e de Newcastle

The effect of including mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) and/or enzymes in broiler diets on antibody titers against infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was evaluated. A total of 750 broilers were distributed into a completely randomized experimental design in a factorial arrangement 2 x 2 + 1 with two levels of MOS (0 and 0.1 percent until 21 days and 0.05 percent from 22 to 42 days of age), two levels of enzymes (0 and 0.05 percent) and a positive control diet containing antibiotic, totaling five treatments with five replicates each. For antibody analyses, blood samples were weekly collected by jugular vein puncture in the same two birds per replicate. The first and last collections were done at 7 and 42 days of age, respectively. The inclusion of MOS resulted in increased antibody titers against IBDV in the fourth (P<0.03) and fifth (P<0.02) weeks, and against NDV in the third (P<0.01), fourth (P<0.03) and fifth (P<0.03) weeks of age. MOS was effective in stimulating the humoral immune responses against IBDV and NDV vaccine viruses.

O efeito da inclusão de mananoligossacarídeo (MOS) e/ou enzimas em dietas de frangos sobre os títulos de anticorpos contra os vírus das doenças de Gumboro (VDG) e de Newcastle (VDN). Setecentos e cinqüenta aves foram distribuídas em um delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2 x 2 + 1, com dois níveis de MOS (0 e 0,1 por cento até 21 dias e 0,05 por cento de 22 até 42 dias de idade), dois níveis de enzimas (0 e 0,05 por cento) e uma dieta-controle-positivo contendo antibióticos, totalizando cinco tratamentos com cinco repetições. Para análise dos anticorpos, amostras de sangue foram colhidas semanalmente por punção da veia jugular em duas aves de cada repetição. A primeira e a última colheita foram realizadas aos sete e 42 dias de idade, respectivamente. A inclusão de MOS resultou em aumento dos títulos contra VDG na quarta (P<0,03) e quinta (P<0,02) semanas, e contra VDN na terceira (P<0,01), quarta (P<0,03) e quinta (P<0,03) semanas de idade. O MOS foi efetivo em estimular a resposta imune humoral contra VDG e VDN vacinais.

Utilização de nutrientes em frangos alimentados com dietas suplementadas com fitase e níveis reduzidos de fósforo não-fítico / Utilization of nutrients in broilers fed diets supplemented with phytase and reduced nonphytate phosphorus levels

Avaliaram-se a digestibilidade ileal, retenção de nutrientes e valores de energia metabolizável aparente (EMA) de dietas suplementadas com fitase e níveis reduzidos de fósforo não-fítico (FNF) para frangos de corte. Foram utilizados 330 pintos machos em delineamento em blocos ao acaso e esquema fatorial 2 x 3 com dois níveis de fitase (0 e 25U/kg) e três níveis de FNF (100, 85 e 70 por cento das exigências da ave), totalizando seis tratamentos com cinco repetições de 11 aves cada. Não houve efeito da interação FNF vs fitase e dos níveis de FNF ou fitase sobre a retenção de matéria seca e de fósforo, e a interação FNF vs fitase foi significativa para retenção de proteína bruta e coeficiente de digestibilidade ileal da matéria seca. A suplementação com fitase, independente dos níveis de FNF, melhorou o coeficiente digestibilidade ileal da proteína bruta, do cálcio e do fósforo. A retenção de cálcio e a redução dos níveis de FNF diminuíam a metabolização da energia bruta das dietas com 85 e 70 por cento das exigências de FNF. Dietas com nível de 70 por cento das exigências de FNF, suplementadas com fitase, podem ser usadas para frangos de corte sem prejuízos à digestibilidade ileal e retenção da matéria seca, proteína bruta, cálcio e fósforo e à metabolização da energia bruta.

The ileal digestibility, the retention of nutrients, and the apparent metabolizable energy (AME) values of diets supplemented with phytase and low levels of nonphytate phosphorus (NPP) for broilers were evaluated. Three hundred and thirty male birds were used. The experiment was designed in randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement 2x3 with two phytase levels (0 and 25U/kg) and three NPP levels (100, 85, and 70 percent of the bird requirement in each phase), with five replicates of 11 broiler for each experimental unit. Effects of NPP vs phytase interaction and NPP and phytase levels on dry matter (DM) and phosphorus (P) retention were not observed; but significant effects of NPP vs phytase on crude protein (CP) retention and DM ileal digestibility coefficient (IDC). Phytase supplementation, independently of NPP levels, improved CPIDC, CaIDC, PIDC, and Ca retention and the lower NPP levels decreased the gross energy metabolization in diets with 85 and 70 percent of NPP requirements. Diets with NPP level corresponding to 70 percent of the bird requirements, supplemented with phytase, can be used for broiler with no negative effect on ileal digestibility and retention of dry matter, crude protein, calcium and phosphorus, and on apparent metabolizable energy.

Performance and morphology of intestinal mucosa of broilers fed mannan-oligosaccharides and enzymes / Desempenho e morfologia da mucosa intestinal de frangos de corte alimentados com mananoligossacarídeos e enzimas

The performance and the morphology of intestinal mucosa of broilers fed mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and enzymes (E) from one to 21-day-old were evaluated using 750 one-day-old chicks, assigned to a 2 x 2 + 1 factorial design - two levels of MOS (0 and 0.1 percent), two levels of E (0 and 0.05 percent) plus an antibiotic positive control diet - performing five treatments of five replications each one. MOS x E interaction was significant for both duodenal (P<0.002 and P<0.002) and ileal (P<0.04 and P<0.05) perimeters and heights of villi, being the values lower in the mucosa of birds fed non-supplemented diets. MOS based-diet determined an increase on perimeter of jejunal villi (P<0.05). Compared with antibiotic treatment group, villi perimeter (P<0.02) and height (P<0.005), and crypt depth (P<0.02) of duodenum of broiler fed MOS were higher. Broilers fed MOS and/or E did not perform better, but higher villi perimeter and height were observed in the intestinal mucosa of those birds.

Avaliaram-se o desempenho e a morfologia da mucosa intestinal de frangos de corte alimentados com mananoligossacarídeos (MOS) e enzimas (E) até os 21 dias de idade. Utilizaram-se 750 pintainhos de um dia em delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2 x 2 + 1 (dois níveis de MOS - 0 e 0,1 por cento, dois níveis de E - 0 e 0,05 por cento e uma dieta controle positivo com antibióticos) totalizando cinco tratamentos com cinco repetições cada. A interação MOS x E foi significativa para o perímetro de altura de vilos no duodeno (P<0,02 e P<0,02) e no íleo (P<0,04 e P<0,05), sendo os valores menores observados na mucosa das aves alimentadas com dietas não-suplementadas. A dieta contendo MOS determinou aumento no perímetro dos vilos no jejuno (P<0,05). Comparado com o grupo controle positivo, o perímetro (P<0,02) e a altura (P<0,005) dos vilos e a profundidade de cripta (P<0,02) no duodeno das aves do tratamento com MOS foram maiores. As aves que consumiram dietas com MOS e/ou E não tiveram melhor desempenho, mas maiores perímetros e alturas de vilos foram observados na mucosa intestinal dessas aves.

Effects of egg storage time on spread of hatch, chick quality, and chick juvenile growth.

A total of 1,800 incubating eggs produced by a commercial flock of Cobb broiler breeders was used to determine the effects of storage duration (3 or 18 d) on spread of hatch and chick quality. Chick relative growth (RG) at the end of 7 d of rearing was also determined as a measure of the chick performance. Chick quality was defined to encompass several qualitative characteristics and scored according to their importance. Eggs stored for 3 d hatched earlier than those stored for 18 d (P < 0.05). Hatching was normally distributed in both categories of eggs, and the spread of hatch was not affected by storage time (P = 0.69). Storage duration of 18 d reduced the percentage of day-old chick with high quality as well as average chick quality score (P < 0.05). RG varied with length of egg storage, quality of day-old chick, and the incubation duration (P < 0.05). Eighteen-day storage of eggs not only resulted in longer incubation duration and lower quality score but also depressed RG. Chick quality as defined in this study was correlated to RG and storage time. It was concluded that day-old chick quality may be a relatively good indicator of broiler performance. The results suggest however that in order to improve performance prediction power of chick quality, it would be better to define it as a combination of several qualitative aspects of the day-old chick and the juvenile growth to 7 d.

Effects of storage time on incubating egg gas pressure, thyroid hormones, and corticosterone levels in embryos and on their hatching parameters.

Incubating eggs (1,800 total) produced by a commercial flock of Cobb broiler breeders were used to determine the effects of storage duration (3 and 18 d) on gas partial pressure, thyroid hormones, and hatching parameters. Partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) and carbon dioxide (pCO2) were measured on d 18 and at internal pipping (IP) during incubation. Blood samples were collected for determination of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and corticosterone concentrations in the embryos at IP and in newly hatched chicks. From 464 to 510 h of incubation, eggs were checked individually every 2 h to determine the timing and duration of IP, external pipping (EP), and total hatching time. At 18 d of incubation and at IP, pCO2 was greater in air cell of eggs stored for 3 d compared to those stored for 18 d (P < 0.05), but pO2 was greater in eggs stored for 18 d. At IP, T3 and corticosterone levels were higher in plasma of the embryos of eggs stored for 3 d compared to those stored for 18 d, but it was the reverse in newly hatched chicks (P < 0.05). Embryos from eggs stored for 18 d required more time to complete IP compared to embryos of eggs stored for only 3 d (P < 0.05), whereas the duration of EP was not affected by storage. The overall longer incubation was, however, not only due to prolonged IP but also to later occurrence of IP. It was concluded that prolonged IP as a result of long storage may be related to the late increase in corticosterone level, which may be a necessary stimulus for higher T3/T4 ratio, late increase in pCO2 level, and decrease in pO2. The effect of long storage was a delay in hatching and a continuous increase in T3 due to higher corticosterone levels between IP and hatching, which may be an indication of the more stressful event of hatching of embryos from eggs stored longer. Differences in pCO2, pO2, T3, T4, and corticosterone levels in the incubating eggs may be manifestations of these changes culminating in altered hatching parameters and consequently differences in chick quality and growth potentials.

Free diet selection by broilers as influenced by dietary macronutrient ratio and corticosterone supplementation. 1. Diet selection, organ weights, and plasma metabolites.

Male broiler chickens (aged 21 d) were allowed to chose freely for 14 d between three diets in which only one specific macronutrient (protein, lipid, or carbohydrate) was isocalorically substituted for one other macronutrient, but otherwise (nearly) isocaloric and composed of the same ingredients. The three diets were low protein (LowCP; 15.81% CP; 6.56% lipid; 50.78% carbohydrate), low lipid (LowL; 19.63% CP; 3.01% lipid; 51.12% carbohydrate), and low carbohydrate (LowCHO; 19.50% CP; 7.72% lipid; 44.00% carbohydrate). The chickens either received 0, 30, or 45 mg of corticosterone (CORT) per kg diet. As a percentage of their total intake, unsupplemented chickens consumed 24.0, 71.4, and 4.6% of the LowCP, LowL, and LowCHO diets, respectively, giving a total CP, L, and CHO intake of 282, 61, and 765 g, respectively. The addition of CORT significantly changed the diet selection, as compared to the unsupplemented chickens, CORT chickens consumed a greater percentage from the LowCP (35%), less from the LowL (55%), and again more from the Low-CHO (10%) diet. On the other hand, total feed consumption, macronutrient, and ME intake were not altered significantly by CORT supplementation, probably because of the close similarity of the diets. Corticosterone-supplemented chickens manifested hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and uric acidemia suggesting insulin resistance, increased lipogenesis and protein catabolism, respectively. The elevated plasma creatine kinase (CK) activities of CORT chickens are also suggestive for decreased muscle cell membrane stability. Furthermore, CORT chickens were characterized by increased proportional weights of liver, abdominal fat pad, proventriculus, and gizzard, whereas an involution of spleen and bursa was observed. In conclusion, the present results suggest that high circulating levels of CORT as in the case of stress results in metabolic alterations, which in turn, affects diet preference as a compensatory mechanism to adapt energy and nutrient metabolism.

Níveis de cloreto de sódio em raçöes para frangos de corte / Sodium chloride in broiler diets

Utilizaram-se 1000 pintos de corte para avaliar os efeitos da suplementaçäo de diferentes níveis de cloreto de sódio (NaCl) na raçäo (0,30, 0,45, 0,60, 075 e 0,90 por cento). As aves receberam raçäo e água à vontade com 20,10 e 18,20 por cento PB, 2.900 e 2.950 kcal/kg EM, nas fases inicial e final, respectivamente. Níveis altos de NaCl (0,60, 0,75 e 0,90 por cento) foram efetivos em aumentar o consumo de água e a relaçäo água:raçäo até 21 dias de idade (P<0,05). Na fase de crescimento (21 a 42 dias) apenas o consumo de água aumentou (P<0,05). Os frangos machos apresentaram maior (P<0,05) ganho de peso, consumo de raçäo, mortalidade e consumo de água do que as fêmeas. Nas duas fases de criaçäo, o ganho de peso, o consumo de água, a relaçäo água:raçäo e a umidade de cama aumentaram (P<0,05) quando as aves receberam níveis elevados de NaCl (0,60, 0,75 e 0,90 por cento). A suplementaçäo de níveis elevados de NaCl melhorou o desempenho das aves, afetando negativamente a umidade de cama