Douglas Emygdio de Faria

Probiotics for broiler chickens in Brazil: systematic review and meta-analysis

This study evaluated the efficacy of probiotic utilization as growth promoters in broiler chicken feeding using systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Thirty-five studies were recovered by the systematic review, 27 of which met the following criteria to be included in the meta-analysis: (1) Brazilian studies published between 1995 and 2005; (2) probiotics administered in the diet without growth promoter; (3) results included performance data with the respective coefficient of variation. Meta-analysis have shown that the probiotics promoted better weight gain and feed conversion than the negative control (no antimicrobial) in the initial phase (1 to 20-28 days); nevertheless, results were similar in the total period (1 to 35-48 days). Weight gain and feed conversion were similar between probiotics and the positive control (with antimicrobial) both in the initial and in the total periods. Viability in the total period improved with the use of probiotics in comparison to the negative or positive controls. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results of meta-analysis were coherent. The funnel plots and the Egger regression method evidenced that the studies published in Brazil do not present biased results. It is possible to conclude that the probiotics are a technically viable alternative to antimicrobial growth promoters in broiler feeding. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to identify eventual differences among the probiotics commercially available in Brazil.

Efeito de diferentes níveis de sódio e fósforo sobre o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the different levels of manganese and phosphorus (P) on the performance and eggshell quality and on determined blood constituents of 96 laying hens Hy-Line W36, with 60 weeks of age, distributed in 24 lots with four hens each. A completely randomized experimental design was used in a factorial arrangement (3 x 2), manganese levels (70, 140 and 210 ppm) and total phosphorus levels (.35 and .55%), totalizing six treatments with four replicates each. The experimental diets were isoproteic (16.0% CP), isocaloric (2800 kcal ME/kg), isocalcium (4.0% Ca) and isosodium (.16% Na). The manganese levels did not alter the production and eggshell quality. However, when hens were fed diets containing .35% of total P, there were observed decreases in the egg production, egg weight and egg mass, without alterations in eggshell quality characteristics. The supplemental manganese levels were not effective to improve eggshell quality at the final phase of production. The total phosphorus level of .35% was inadequate for the laying hens to express the normal production characteristics

Desempenho, Temperatura Corporal e Qualidade dos Ovos de Poedeiras Alimentadas com Vitaminas D e C em Três Temperaturas Ambiente

O experimento foi conduzido em câmara climatica para determinar os efeitos das vitaminas D3 e C sobre o desempenho, temperatura corporal e qualidade dos ovos de poedeiras em tres temperaturas: termoneutra (24,8o a 27,0o C), estresse calorico ciclico (26,2o C por 16h e 32,1o C por 8h) e estresse calorico constante (30,0o a 32,0o C). Foram utilizadas 144 galinhas brancas com 31 semanas num delineamento inteiramente ao acaso em arranjo fatorial 3x3x3: vitamina D3 (2500, 3000 e 3500 UI/kg), vitamina C (0, 200 e 400 ppm) e temperatura ambiente (termoneutra, estresse calorico ciclico e constante). As caracteristicas avaliadas foram: consumo de racao (CR), producao de ovos (PO), peso dos ovos (PE), massa de ovos (MO), conversao alimentar (CA), porcentagens de albumem (AL) e de gema (GE), unidade Haugh (UH), indice de gema (IG), porcentagem de casca (PC), espessura de casca (EC), gravidade especifica dos ovos (GO), temperaturas dorsal (TD) e retal (TR). A vitamina D3 interferiu nas caracteristicas PC, EC, GO e TD; a vitamina C no IG, PC e GO. A temperatura ambiente nao afetou somente a UH. Concluiu-se que niveis mais altos de vitamina D3 e niveis de 200 ou 400 ppm de vitamina C na dieta podem melhorar a qualidade da casca e que o estresse calorico prejudicou as principais caracteristicas avaliadas.

Energy and lysine for broilers from 44 to 55 days of age

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance and carcass yield of broilers at 55 days of age fed diets with different levels of metabolizable energy and lysine. Evaluated data of performance were weight gain, feed intake, energy intake, lysine intake, caloric conversion and feed conversion. Carcass assessment was performed based on data from carcass yield, breast weight, whole wings, whole legs, back, head + neck, feet and abdominal fat. A 3 x 3 factorial arrangement was used, with 3 levels of metabolizable energy (3,200; 3,400 and 3,600 kcal ME/kg) and 3 lysine levels (0.95%; 1.05% and 1.15%). There was no interaction between the two factors. Nevertheless, increasing levels of metabolizable energy improved weight gain (745 g; 841 g and 910 g, respectively) and feed intake was higher in broilers receiving the diets with 3,200 and 3,600 kcal ME/kg. Overall performance was not affected by lysine levels. Feed conversion values were 2.69, 2.42 and 2.14 for birds fed diets with 3,200; 3,400 and 3,600†kcal ME/kg, respectively. Carcass yield and breast weight increased with higher levels of energy and lysine in the diets.

Vitaminas D e C para poedeiras na fase inicial de produção de ovos

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of two vitamin D sources and three vitamin C levels on performance, internal and external egg quality, and bone strength characteristics. In addition, the total and ionic blood calcium concentrations, bone ash and calcium were determined. Two hundred and eighty eight 23-week-old ISA Babcock B-300® laying hens were used during the 12-week study in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement: vitamin D sources (cholecalciferol and 25-hydroxycholecalciferol - 25(OH)D3) and vitamin C levels (0, 100 and 200 ppm) resulting in six treatments with eight replicates of six hens each. The basal cholecalciferol level was 2,756 IU/kg, corresponding to 5.51 g Hy.D®/t, as source of 25(OH)D3. Feed intake, egg production, egg weight and egg mass were not influenced by the treatments. An interaction was observed for feed conversion, which was improved when 25(OH)D3 was added without vitamin C. Haugh unit and yolk index were not influenced, however, interactions were observed for albumen percent and yolk percent, which were improved when 200 ppm of vitamin C was supplemented. Egg specific gravity, serum calcium, bone ash and bone strength resistance were not influenced by the treatments. There was an interaction for shell percent and shell thickness, which were improved when vitamin C was added in association with 25(OH)D3. It was concluded, for laying hens at initial phase of egg production, that feed conversion is improved when 25(OH)D3 was the vitamin D source, and that shell thickness and shell percent are improved when the vitamin D source was 25(OH)D3 with diets supplemented with vitamin C (100 or 200 ppm, respectively).

Avaliação da Farinha de Carne e Ossos na Alimentação de Frangos de Corte

Fourteen hundred and forty day-old male chicks were used to evaluate the use of meat and bone meal (MBM) on performance and carcass yield of broilers. The experimental design was a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial random arrangement: inclusion levels of MBM (3 and 6%), types of MBM (37.51 and 41.58% of crude protein), metabolizable energy values for MBM according to prediction equations (NRC, 1994) or by Rostagno et al.(1994), plus a control diet without MBM, with four replicates of forty chickens each. Feed intake and body weight gain (WG) were influenced by inclusion levels of MBM, with higher WG when MBM was not used. The remaining performance characteristics were not altered by the factors studied. There was reduction in abdominal fat when MBM was not used. It was concluded that the performance was impaired due to the use of diets containing up to 6% of MBM when compared to corn-soybean meal diets.

Sistemas de alimentação e suplementação de farinha de casca de ostras sobre o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar diferentes sistemas de alimentacao e suplementacao de farinha de casca de ostras sobre o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos, determinados constituintes sanguineos, e sobre a disponibilidade aparente do calcio e fosforo dieteticos, em 120 galinhas Lohmann LSL, com 70 semanas de idade, distribuidas em 20 unidades experimentais com seis aves cada. O delineamento utilizado foi o inteiramente ao acaso em arranjo fatorial 2 x 2: sistemas de alimentacao (ad libitum e jejum das 7 as 18 h) e suplementacao de farinha de casca de ostras (0 e 6,5 g/ave/dia), totalizando quatro tratamentos com cinco repeticoes cada. Os resultados mostraram menor consumo de racao para as galinhas submetidas a restricao alimentar. Producao, peso e massa de ovos, conversao alimentar, porcentagem de casca, espessura de casca, densidade aparente dos ovos e os coeficientes de disponibilidade aparente do calcio e fosforo nao foram afetados pelos tratamentos. Concluiu-se que o fornecimento de racao apos as 18 h e a suplementacao de casca de ostras nao se mostraram vantajosos para o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais.

Effect of different levels of sodium and phosphorus on performance and eggshell quality of laying hens

An experiment was carried out to verify the effect of different levels of sodium and phosphorus (P) on the performance, eggshell quality and on some blood constituents of 144 laying hens Hy-Line W36, aged 60 weeks, allotted to 36 experimental units with four hens each. A randomized experimental block design was used in a factorial arrangement (3 x 3), sodium levels (.16, .20 and .24%) and phosphorus levels (.35, .45 and .55%), totalizing nine treatments, two blocks with two replicates each. The experimental diets were isoproteic (16.0% CP), isoenergetic (2,800 kcal ME/kg) and isocalcium (4.0% Ca). Feed intake, egg production, egg mass, feed:gain ratio, shell percentage, shell thickness and egg specific gravity were not affected by sodium levels. However, when the hens were fed diets containing .35% total P, there was impairment of the egg production, egg mass and feed:gain ratio, without modification of the eggshell quality characteristics. There was interaction between the factors for egg weight. Low phosphorus levels were not effective to improve the eggshell quality, but impaired hens performance.

Fontes de metionina em rações formuladas com base em aminoácidos totais ou digestíveis para frangas de reposição leves e semipesadas

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the use of two methionine sources (powder or liquid) in diets based on total and digestible amino acids for white and brown growing pullets at starter phase (1 to 6 weeks old) and grower phase (11 to 16 weeks old). In each experiment, 384 birds were distributed to a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, composed of bird strain (Hy-Line W36 and Hy-Line Brown), source of methionine (HMTBA - 88% and DL-methionine - 99%) and criteria for diet formulation (total and digestible amino acids), totaling eight diets, each with six replications of eight birds each. The characteristics evaluated were: Feed intake and intakes of crude protein and metabolizable energy; body weight and average daily gain and feed conversion ratio of the birds. There was no interaction among the factors for any of the traits. Brown pullets strain showed higher feed intake, body weight and average daily gain. Methionine sources and the criteria for diet formulation did not influence the performance characteristics. Hy-Line W36 and Hy-Line Brown pullets showed different body development profile. Powder methionine (DL-methionine - 99%) or liquid (HMTBA - 88%) as well as the criteria for diet formulation (total or digestible amino acids) provide similar performance for growing pullets.

Influência de diferentes níveis de energia, vitamina D3 e relação sódio:cloro sobre o desempenho e a qualidade da casca dos ovos de poedeiras comerciais

ABSTRACT - An experiment was carried out to verify the influence of different levels of energy, vitamin D3 and sodium: chloride ratio on the performance, eggshell quality and on determined blood constituents of 192 laying hens Hy-Line W36, aged 72 weeks, allotted to a 48 experimental units with four hens each. A completely randomized experimental design was used in a factorial arrangement (3 x 2 x 2), metabolizable energy levels (2900, 3000 and 3100 kcal/kg), vitamin D3 levels (500 and 2500 IU/kg) and sodium: chloride ratios (.74:1 and 1.2:1), totalizing 12 treatments with four replicates each. The experimental diets were isoproteic (17% CP), isocalcium (4.4% Ca), isophosphorus (.5% total P) and isosodium (.16% Na). The results showed that egg weight decreased when diets with 3100 kcal ME/kg were used and better values for shell percent and specific gravity were obtaneid when hens were fed diets contained the sodium: chloride ratio 1.2:1. The vitamin D3 levels were not able to influence the performance and egg shell characteristics. The higher levels of energy were not effective to improve eggshell quality of the older hens. The sodium:chloride ratio 1.2:1 improved eggshell quality characteristics.