Sunflower cake associated with crude glycerin in white laying hens diets: Performance and quality, antioxidant activity and lipid oxidation of eggs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sunflower cake inclusion and its association with crude glycerin in the diet of laying hens. A total of 320 laying hens with 39 weeks of age were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme with 5 replications of 8 birds. The studied factors were 4 inclusion levels of sunflower cake and 2 levels of crude glycerin. The inclusion of 210 g/kg of sunflower cake reduced egg mass and worsened feed conversion, and after the level 70 g/kg there was reduction in yolk coloration and specific density of eggs with or without the addition of glycerin in the diet. The addition of 70 g/kg of crude glycerin reduced the specific density of eggs in all levels of sunflower cake. There was increase in phenolic compounds, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant activity in eggs and reduction in lipid oxidation of yolks from fresh and stored eggs, with the inclusion of sunflower cake. The addition of crude glycerin increased the lipid oxidation of egg yolks. Therefore, it is possible to include up to 140 g/kg sunflower cake in the diet of laying hens, with or without crude glycerin, without impairing performance and egg quality, obtaining higher antioxidant capacity of eggs and lower lipid oxidation in yolks from fresh and stored eggs. The inclusion of 70 g/kg crude glycerin does not affect laying hens performance, however, it worsens shell quality and increases lipid oxidation in the liver and egg yolks.

Calcium anacardate and its association with citric acid in diets for meat-type breeding quails.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of using calcium anacardate (CaA) as a source of anacardic acid and its association with citric acid (CA) in diets for breeding quails on the performance, the egg quality, incubation parameters, and progeny performance. Were used 540 quails European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) that were 21 weeks old, housed in laying cages based on a completely randomized design, with nine treatments and six replications of 10 quails per parcel, with each experimental unit having eight females and two males. The following additions to the diet were evaluated: 1, no addition (control diet); 2, 0.25% CaA; 3, 0.25% CaA and 0.25% CA; 4, 0.50% CaA; 5, 0.50% CaA and 0.25% CA; 6, 0.50% CaA and 0.50% CA; 7, 0.75% CaA; 8, 0.75% CaA and 0.25% CA; and 9, 0.75% CaA and 0.50% CA. The treatments had no significant effects on the performance of the breeding quails, incubation parameters, and progeny performance. For egg quality, there was only an effect on yolk lipid oxidation, which was lower for eggs from quails fed the diets containing 0.50% CaA and 0.25% CA, 0.50% CaA and 0.50% CA, or 0.75% CaA alone, when compared with the control group. Considering that including CaA with or without CA in diets for breeding quails only affected yolk lipid oxidation, it can be recommend including 0.50% CaA and 0.25% CA or 0.75% CaA alone to mitigate oxidative damage in the yolk of fertile eggs.

Effects of mango peel ethanolic extract as antioxidant in quail diets on performance, carcass traits, and meat lipid stability.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of mango peel ethanolic extract (MPEE) as antioxidant in quail diets containing two lipid sources, on performance, carcass characteristics, and lipid stability of in natura and frozen meat. A total of 432 meat quails were used, males and females, from 7 to 42 days of age, distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 3 levels of MPEE (0, 500, and 1000 mg/kg) and 2 lipid sources (soybean and sunflower oil), totaling 6 treatments with 6 replications of 12 birds. In order to evaluate the meat lipid stability, carcass samples were used in a 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with 2 levels of MPEE (0 and 1000 mg/kg), 2 lipid sources (soybean and sunflower oil), 2 types of packaging (conventional and vacuum), and 3 storage times (0, 60, and 120 days), totaling 16 treatments with 6 replications. There was no effect of interaction (P > 0.05) between the factors on the performance variables and carcass characteristics. Oil types and MPEE levels did not influence (P > 0.05) performance. For carcass characteristics, it was found to be increased (P < 0.05) in breast meat yield due to the inclusion of MPEE. For the meat lipid stability, there was only an effect of interaction (P < 0.05) between type of packaging and storage time. The inclusion of 1000 mg/kg of MPEE provided greater meat lipid stability, enabling the use of common packaging for the storage of quail meat for up to 120 days.

Cardanol in the feeding of meat-type quail breeders.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of cardanol in the diet of quails on productive performance, egg quality, reproductive performance, and progeny performance. A total of three hundred European quail breeders of 32 weeks of age, with average body weights of 305.98 g, were housed in laying cages in groups (4 females and 1 male), following a distribution in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 6 replications of 10 quails, being the experimental unit constituted by the set of two cages. The treatments consisted of diets with 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00% of cardanol. There was reduction in the performance of the quail with the inclusion of 1.00% of cardanol in the diet when compared to the control treatment, while egg weight and egg mass were lower in the treatments with 0.75 and 1.00% of cardanol, respectively. It was observed that there was decrease in the specific gravity, and increase in color and TBARS value of the yolk in all treatments with cardanol. The inclusion of 0.50% of cardanol decreased the percentage of albumen, and increased the percentage of yolk, while the shell thickness decreased with 0.75%. The weight of the incubated eggs and the chick weight at hatching were lower in the treatments with 0.75 and 1.00% of cardanol. In the evaluation of the progeny performance, it was found that the weight at 7 days of age of chicks from breeders fed the diet containing 1.00% of cardanol was decreased when compared to the chicks from breeders fed the control diet. It was concluded that the inclusion of cardanol did not present benefits to the quail breeders.

Passion fruit seed cake in the feeding of meat quails: effects on performance, carcass characteristics, lipid stability of the meat, litter quality, and economic viability.

The objective of this study was to determine the chemical composition and energy value of passion fruit seed cake (PFSC) and to evaluate the inclusion of different levels of PFSC in the diets for quails on growth performance, carcass quality, litter quality, lipid stability of the meat, and economic viability. In the metabolism assay, 108 European quails of 21 days of age were used, being distributed in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments (one reference ration and two test rations with substitution of 20% and 40% of the reference ration by PFSC) and 6 replications of 6 birds each. It was observed that the apparent metabolizable energy corrected by the nitrogen balance (AMEn) determined in the ration with 20% PFSC (3876.17 kcal/kg DM) was higher than in the 40% (3469.00 kcal/kg DM). In the performance assay, 432 European quails from 7 to 42 days of age were used, being distributed in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments, consisting of a control diet and the others with increasing levels of inclusion of passion fruit seed (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25%), and 6 replications of 12 birds. It was observed that the inclusion of PFSC starting from 10% promoted increase FI and FC values, and increasing linear effect of these variables starting from 5% of inclusion. The PFSC did not affect the carcass characteristics and lipid oxidation of the meat. Regarding the litter quality, there was a linear increase in the pH values and worse economic indexes starting from the inclusion of 10% of PFSC. In conclusion, PFSC can be used up to the level of 5% in diets for meat quails from 7 to 42 days of age.

Organic zinc and manganese and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol improves eggshell thickness in late-phase laying hens.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of organic micromineral zinc (Zn) and manganese (Mn) and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation in late-phase laying hens' diets on performance, egg quality, lipid stability of fresh and stored eggs, and bone quality. The treatments were a basal diet and diets supplemented with 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet; 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet and 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; 1500 IU 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg diet; 32 mg Zn-Met/kg diet; 26 mg Mn-Met/kg diet; and 1500 IU 25-hydroxycholecalciferol/kg diet. On performance, the birds supplemented with organic manganese had the lowest feed intake. Regarding egg quality, the birds supplemented with Zn-Met and Mn-Met, with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol alone, and with Zn-Met, Mn-Met and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol presented a greater eggshell thickness than those receiving the basal diet. Lipid stability of the yolk varied only according to storage time. No effect of supplementation was observed on bone quality. Supplementation with Zn-Met and Mn-Met, or associated with 25-hydroxycholecalciferol, or 25-hydroxycholecalciferol alone, improved eggshell thickness in aged white layers. However, the associated or isolated supplementation with these nutrients did not influence performance, lipid stability of fresh and stored egg yolk or bone quality.