Mineral Source and Vitamin Level in Broiler Diets: Effects on Performance, Yield, and Meat Quality

The purpose of this trial was to supplement commercial broiler diets with optimum vitamin programs and higher availability of mineral sources, and to evaluate the effect on performance, yield and meat quality of broilers. The study used 1800 male broiler chicks randomly distributed in a 2 x 2 factorial design (vitamin programs - optimum and commercial vs. mineral sources - inorganic (sulfates) and carbo-amino-phospho-chelate (CAPC)). Supplementation associating optimum vitamin levels and mineral source CAPC resulted in better feed conversion and higher carcass weight at 42 days of age (p 0.05). Supplementation of diets with optimum vitamin levels resulted in higher absolute and relative breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, and reduction (p 0.05) of broiler breast water loss by dripping. Supplementation with CAPC minerals resulted in higher breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, less elastic muscle tissue, that is, a higher level of tenderness resulting in less resistance of muscle fibers and skin with higher tear strength than the skin of birds fed inorganic sources. Associating optimum vitamin programs and CAPC mineral source resulted in lower (p 0.05) lipid peroxidation levels in thighs and drumsticks after 10 and 40 days freezing. No difference (p>0.05) was found in the association of vitamin programs and mineral sources on the occurrence of white striping and dorsal myopathy. Supplementing the diets with optimized vitamin programs associated with a more bioavailable mineral source resulted in a positive contribution to the meat quality of broilers.

Mineral Source and Vitamin Level in Broiler Diets: Effects on Performance, Yield, and Meat Quality

The purpose of this trial was to supplement commercial broiler diets with optimum vitamin programs and higher availability of mineral sources, and to evaluate the effect on performance, yield and meat quality of broilers. The study used 1800 male broiler chicks randomly distributed in a 2 x 2 factorial design (vitamin programs - optimum and commercial vs. mineral sources - inorganic (sulfates) and carbo-amino-phospho-chelate (CAPC)). Supplementation associating optimum vitamin levels and mineral source CAPC resulted in better feed conversion and higher carcass weight at 42 days of age (p 0.05). Supplementation of diets with optimum vitamin levels resulted in higher absolute and relative breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, and reduction (p 0.05) of broiler breast water loss by dripping. Supplementation with CAPC minerals resulted in higher breast weight, lower abdominal fat deposition, less elastic muscle tissue, that is, a higher level of tenderness resulting in less resistance of muscle fibers and skin with higher tear strength than the skin of birds fed inorganic sources. Associating optimum vitamin programs and CAPC mineral source resulted in lower (p 0.05) lipid peroxidation levels in thighs and drumsticks after 10 and 40 days freezing. No difference (p>0.05) was found in the association of vitamin programs and mineral sources on the occurrence of white striping and dorsal myopathy. Supplementing the diets with optimized vitamin programs associated with a more bioavailable mineral source resulted in a positive contribution to the meat quality of broilers.(AU)

Effects of a homeopathic complex in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) on performance, sexual proportion and histology.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the homeopathic complex Homeopatila RS (REAL Homeopathy, Brazil), in the performance, sexual proportion and gills and liver histology of the Nile tilapia fish (Oreochromis niloticus L.). 4,800 post-larvae were treated for 45 days, in 12 tanks (500 L), in a closed environment, with density of 400 larvae per tank. Three treatments were given: alcohol 30%, negative control (C); hormonal, positive control, 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (H); homeopathic, Homeopatila RS, in ethanol (HH), with four replications. Mean values for length, weight, liver somatic index, condition factor, survival rate, average values of histological alterations and sexual proportion were determined. Analysis revealed significant differences (p<0.05) in growth, survival rate, liver somatic index and average values of hepatic histological alterations between treatments. It was concluded that the addition of Homeopatila RS to the diet of Nile tilapias, during the phase of gonadal differentiation, did not induce any alteration in the sexual proportion. Homeopathically treated fish were significantly smaller, but had significantly greater survival than the other two groups, there was no significant difference in final total biomass. The homeopathically treated fish had a lower liver/somatic index with less hepatic lipid inclusions than the other groups.