Blend of essential oils can reduce diarrheal disorders and improve liver antioxidant status in weaning piglets.

OBJECTIVE: This study was to assess the effects of different doses of an essential oil blend (EOB) on growth performance, diarrhea occurrence (DO), hematological and blood biochemical profile, intestinal morphometry, morphology and microbiology, relative weight and length of organs, digestive content pH, and liver antioxidant status in weaning piglets. METHODS: A total of 135 barrows (7.09±0.29 kg body weight) were allotted randomly in a randomized complete block design based on body weight with nine replications and three animals per pen. Dietary treatments were a negative control (NC): basal diet; positive control (PC): NC plus 125 mg performance-enhancing antibiotic (enramycin 8%)/kg diet; NC plus 100 mg EOB/kg diet (EO100); NC plus 200 mg EOB/kg diet (EO200); and NC plus 400 mg EOB/kg diet (EO400). Diarrhea occurrence was monitored daily, and performance at the end of each phase. RESULTS: Gain to feed ratio was greater (p<0.05) in starter II pigs fed EO400 and EO200 than in those fed EO100. Pigs fed EO400 had lower (p<0.05) DO than those fed NC and EO100 in the total period. Pre-starter II pigs fed NC had (p<0.05) lower serum total protein and plasma protein than pigs fed PC. Pigs fed EO100 showed smaller (p<0.05) mean corpuscular volume (MCV) than pigs fed EO400. Starter II pigs fed EO400 had (p<0.05) greater MCV and lower mean corpuscular hemoglobin and erythrocytes than those fed EO100. There was a greater concentration (p<0.05) of band cells for PC, similar to EO400 and EO200. Performance-enhancing antibiotic and EOB to diets increased (p<0.05) liver superoxide dismutase activity. CONCLUSION: Adding 200 and 400 mg EOB/kg diet decreased DO and was advantageous to hematological and blood biochemical profile and liver antioxidant status without being detrimental to growth performance and gastrointestinal health in nursery pigs.

Development of digestive organs of female broilers under varying post-hatch fasting times / Desenvolvimento dos órgãos digestórios de frangos de corte fêmea submetidos a diferentes períodos de jejum pós-eclosão

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of post-hatch fasting time on the weights of body and digestive organs of chicks. Fertile eggs from 62-week-old broiler breeders (Cobb Fast lineage) were incubated and, after hatching, female chicks were randomly divided into six treatments, which corresponded to fasting periods (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours), with 40 chicks per treatment. At 01, 03, 06, and 10 days after hatching, measurements of body weight; residual yolk weight; relative weights of proventriculus + gizzard, intestine + pancreas and liver; and intestine total length were made. At 6 days of age, the chicks submitted to post-hatch fasting, for up to 12 hours, demonstrated greater development, with body weights higher than the other birds. Yet, when fed, no compensatory gain was observed and, at 10 days of age, the birds submitted to 48- and 72-h fasting remained with a lower body development. Intestine growth was also compromised by post-hatch fasting, being reduced in both weight and length. A post-hatching fasting of up to 24 hours did not interfere with the weights of body and digestive organs of 10-day-old female broiler chickens. However, 48- and 72-h post-hatch fastings affected adversely the weight and growth of digestive organs in the birds.(AU)

O efeito dos períodos de jejum pós-eclosão foi avaliado sobre o peso inicial das aves e de seus órgãosdigestórios. Ovos férteis de matrizes de frango de corte (linhagem Cobb Fast) de 62 semanas de idadeforam incubados e após a eclosão os pintinhos (fêmeas) foram divididos em seis tratamentos de 40aves cada, correspondentes a tempos diferentes de jejum (0, 6, 12, 24, 48 e 72 horas). Com 1, 3, 6e 10 dias de idade, o peso corporal das aves e do vitelo residual, pesos relativos do proventrículo +moela, intestino + pâncreas, fígado, e o comprimento total do intestino foram analisados. Aos 6 dias deidade, os animais que foram submetidos ao jejum pós-eclosão de até 12 horas demonstraram melhordesenvolvimento com maior peso corporal em relação aos demais. Essas aves não apresentaram ganhocompensatório quando alimentadas; no entanto, aos 10 dias de idade, os animais submetidos a 48 e72 horas de jejum, permaneceram com menor desenvolvimento corporal. O crescimento do intestinotambém foi comprometido em função do jejum pós-eclosão, com redução de comprimento e peso. Ojejum pós-eclosão de até 24 horas não afetou o peso corporal e o peso de órgãos digestórios em fêmeas de frango de corte criadas até 10 dias. Já jejum de 48 e 72 horas afeta de forma negativa o peso corporal e o crescimento dos órgãos digestórios.(AU)

Development of digestive organs of female broilers under varying post-hatch fasting times / Desenvolvimento dos órgãos digestórios de frangos de corte fêmea submetidos a diferentes períodos de jejum pós-eclosão

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of post-hatch fasting time on the weights of body and digestive organs of chicks. Fertile eggs from 62-week-old broiler breeders (Cobb Fast lineage) were incubated and, after hatching, female chicks were randomly divided into six treatments, which corresponded to fasting periods (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours), with 40 chicks per treatment. At 01, 03, 06, and 10 days after hatching, measurements of body weight; residual yolk weight; relative weights of proventriculus + gizzard, intestine + pancreas and liver; and intestine total length were made. At 6 days of age, the chicks submitted to post-hatch fasting, for up to 12 hours, demonstrated greater development, with body weights higher than the other birds. Yet, when fed, no compensatory gain was observed and, at 10 days of age, the birds submitted to 48- and 72-h fasting remained with a lower body development. Intestine growth was also compromised by post-hatch fasting, being reduced in both weight and length. A post-hatching fasting of up to 24 hours did not interfere with the weights of body and digestive organs of 10-day-old female broiler chickens. However, 48- and 72-h post-hatch fastings affected adversely the weight and growth of digestive organs in the birds.

O efeito dos períodos de jejum pós-eclosão foi avaliado sobre o peso inicial das aves e de seus órgãosdigestórios. Ovos férteis de matrizes de frango de corte (linhagem Cobb Fast) de 62 semanas de idadeforam incubados e após a eclosão os pintinhos (fêmeas) foram divididos em seis tratamentos de 40aves cada, correspondentes a tempos diferentes de jejum (0, 6, 12, 24, 48 e 72 horas). Com 1, 3, 6e 10 dias de idade, o peso corporal das aves e do vitelo residual, pesos relativos do proventrículo +moela, intestino + pâncreas, fígado, e o comprimento total do intestino foram analisados. Aos 6 dias deidade, os animais que foram submetidos ao jejum pós-eclosão de até 12 horas demonstraram melhordesenvolvimento com maior peso corporal em relação aos demais. Essas aves não apresentaram ganhocompensatório quando alimentadas; no entanto, aos 10 dias de idade, os animais submetidos a 48 e72 horas de jejum, permaneceram com menor desenvolvimento corporal. O crescimento do intestinotambém foi comprometido em função do jejum pós-eclosão, com redução de comprimento e peso. Ojejum pós-eclosão de até 24 horas não afetou o peso corporal e o peso de órgãos digestórios em fêmeas de frango de corte criadas até 10 dias. Já jejum de 48 e 72 horas afeta de forma negativa o peso corporal e o crescimento dos órgãos digestórios.