Functional oil in the feeding of heat-stressed Japanese quail.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate a blend of functional oils (FO) composed of copaiba and garlic essential oils, pepper oleoresin and cashew nut liquid to mitigate the effects of heat stress on productivity, egg quality, organ morphology of the gastrointestinal tract, serum biochemical profile, nutrient metabolism and body temperature of Japanese quail. A completely randomized design was used in a 3 × 2 factorial scheme (without additive; 300 and 500 mg FO/kg of feed x birds raised in a thermal comfort (TC) and heat stress (HS) environment), with 6 replicates of 8 birds per plot. The birds under HS had lower feed intake (P = 0.0000), egg mass (P = 0.0000), laying rate (P = 0.0000) and higher percentage of infertile non-commercial eggs (P = 0.0004), lower head temperature amplitude (P = 0.0000) and higher average of body temperature (P = 0.0312). HS worsened the external and internal quality of the eggs. Birds kept in HS showed higher values of cholesterol (P = 0.0000) and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (P = 0.0272). The use of 300 and 500 g FO/ton of feed improved the feed conversion (P = 0.0000) and egg mass (P = 0.0000) of the quail bred under HS, respectively, by 8.4 and 7.2% and increased the relative weight of liver (P = 0.0064) and pancreas (P = 0.0492). The use of such additives also provided a higher % of yolk (P = 0.0018) and reduced the percentage of albumen (P = 0.0029) of the eggs produced in TC, in addition to reducing the amplitude of head temperature (P = 0.0484) of birds bred under HS. The breeding of Japanese quail under HS results in negative impacts on the production, physiological and qualitative aspects of the eggs. The use of 300 g/ton of FO in the diet of Japanese quail leads to improvements in feed conversion, increased liver capacity in nutritional metabolism and results in eggs with a higher proportion of yolks, being, therefore, an alternative for feeding quail in a hot climate.

Metabolizable energy levels and energy:protein ratio for birds broilers of slow growth raised in free range system - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.248 / Níveis de energia metabolizável e relações energia:proteína para aves de corte de crescimento lento criadas em sistema semiconfinado - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.248

Metabolizable energy levels and energy:protein ratio for birds broilers of slow growth raised in free range system. Three trials were conducted to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) requirements and the energy to protein ratio (E:P) for slow growth female broilers raised in free range system in the starter, grower and final phase. A completely randomized design was used with five levels of ME (treatments) and four replications of 20 birds per experimental unit. The levels of ME varied in the starter phase from 2600 to 3200 kcal kg-1, in the grower phase from 2700 to 3300 kcal kg-1, and in the final phase from 2800 to 3400 kcal kg-1. The crude protein and other nutrients were maintained at the same level in all diets. The E:P ratio and the ME level that provide the best performance and carcass characteristics for ISA Label females were 128 and 2750 (starter), 147 and 2850 (grower) and 172 and 3100 kcal of ME kg-1 of diet (final).

Foram conduzidos três ensaios para determinar as exigências de energia metabolizável (EM) e a melhor relação energia:proteína (E:P) para fêmeas de corte de crescimento lento, criadas em sistema semiconfinado nas fases inicial, crescimento e final. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco níveis de EM (tratamentos) e quatro repetições de 20 aves cada. Os níveis de EM na fase inicial variaram de 2600 a 3200 kcal kg-1, crescimento de 2700 a 3300 kcal kg-1, e na fase final de 2800 a 3400 kcal kg-1. A proteína bruta e os demais nutrientes foram mantidos constantes em todas as rações. A relação E:P e o nível de EM que maximizaram o desempenho e as características da carcaça das fêmeas ISA Label em cada fase estudada foram: 128 e 2750 (inicial); 147 e 2850 (crescimento); 172 e 3100 kcal de EM kg-1 na ração (final).

Metabolizable energy levels and energy:protein ratio for birds broilers of slow growth raised in free range system - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.248 / Níveis de energia metabolizável e relações energia:proteína para aves de corte de crescimento lento criadas em sistema semiconfinado - DOI: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v29i1.248

Metabolizable energy levels and energy:protein ratio for birds broilers of slow growth raised in free range system. Three trials were conducted to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) requirements and the energy to protein ratio (E:P) for slow growth female broilers raised in free range system in the starter, grower and final phase. A completely randomized design was used with five levels of ME (treatments) and four replications of 20 birds per experimental unit. The levels of ME varied in the starter phase from 2600 to 3200 kcal kg-1, in the grower phase from 2700 to 3300 kcal kg-1, and in the final phase from 2800 to 3400 kcal kg-1. The crude protein and other nutrients were maintained at the same level in all diets. The E:P ratio and the ME level that provide the best performance and carcass characteristics for ISA Label females were 128 and 2750 (starter), 147 and 2850 (grower) and 172 and 3100 kcal of ME kg-1 of diet (final).

Foram conduzidos três ensaios para determinar as exigências de energia metabolizável (EM) e a melhor relação energia:proteína (E:P) para fêmeas de corte de crescimento lento, criadas em sistema semiconfinado nas fases inicial, crescimento e final. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado com cinco níveis de EM (tratamentos) e quatro repetições de 20 aves cada. Os níveis de EM na fase inicial variaram de 2600 a 3200 kcal kg-1, crescimento de 2700 a 3300 kcal kg-1, e na fase final de 2800 a 3400 kcal kg-1. A proteína bruta e os demais nutrientes foram mantidos constantes em todas as rações. A relação E:P e o nível de EM que maximizaram o desempenho e as características da carcaça das fêmeas ISA Label em cada fase estudada foram: 128 e 2750 (inicial); 147 e 2850 (crescimento); 172 e 3100 kcal de EM kg-1 na ração (final).