Fernanda Medeiros Gonçalves

Growth performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites of broiler chicken fed on diets containing flaxseed oil

Abstract 1. This study evaluated the effects of diets with partial and total substitution of soya bean oil (SO) with flaxseed (linseed) oil (FO) on broiler chicken performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition and blood serum metabolites. 2. A total of 448 one-d-old Cobb 500 broiler chicken were used. They were allotted among 4 treatments with 8 replications, using a completely randomised design, for 35 d. Four diets were compared: T1 = 100% SO (3%, 1–7 d; 4%, 8–21 d; and 5%, 22–35 d); T2 = 50% SO + 50% FO; T3 = 25% SO + 75% FO and T4 = 100% FO. 3. No significant differences were observed in body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and blood serum metabolites (total triglycerides, TRI; total cholesterol, CHO; high-density lipoprotein, HDL; low-density lipoprotein, LDL; glucose, GLU; albumin, ALB; globulin, GLO; and total proteins, TPs). Significant effects were observed for TRI, CHO, HDL, GLU, HDL, LDL, ALB and GLO with regard to the day of collection. 4. Carcass traits did not show significant differences for the treatments. No significant differences were observed for breast and drumstick chemical compositions, with the exception of drumstick fat concentration (quadratic effect). 5. In conclusion, the partial or total substitution of SO with FO did not affect growth performance, carcass traits, meat chemical composition or blood serum profile in broiler chicken. Therefore, FO can be an alternative to SO in the diet formulation for broiler chicken.

Reduction of liver function delays resumption of postpartum ovarian activity and alters the synthesis of acute phase proteins in dairy cows.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of acute phase proteins, milk production, and resumption of postpartum ovarian activity of clinically healthy dairy cows in a semi-extensive system with different Liver Functionality Index (LFI) values. The animals were divided into two groups: Low LFI (LLFI: -7 to -12; n: 10) and High LFI (HLFI: -7 to -4; n: 10). Animals with LLFI had lower paraoxonase activity and lower albumin concentration in the pre- and postpartum periods (P<0.05), higher non-esterified fatty acids prepartum (P<0.005), and higher haptoglobin concentration postpartum (P<0.01). The LLFI group showed lower resumption of ovarian activity until 44days postpartum (29%; P<0.05) than HLFI (86%). Milk production did not differ between groups. Therefore, this study suggests that the LFI is an important biomarker of synthesis of acute phase proteins and the first ovulation interval, and it can be used to improve the production and reproductive performance.

Condição microbiológica de cama tratada com Impact P® em matrizes de frangos de corte

This study aimed to evaluate the utilization of Impact P® in used litter from floor pens of broiler breeders through the monitoring of microbiological parameters. Impact P® is a commercial product obtained from Bacillus subtillis and it enzymes. Using animal litter and organic matter as a feed source, the product was designed to improve the quality of floor pens of broiler breeders. When hens aged 58 weeks, all used floor pens material was replaced with a new one and the following treatments were tested: T1 - control; T2 - 2.5g Impact P® m-2 litter; T3- 5.0g Impact P® m-2 litter. Counting of number of enterobacterium colonies in agar Mac-ConcKey was performed in a sample of new floor pens material and after 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 days of litter treatment with Impact P®. The statistical analysis was accomplished with the General Linear Models - GLM procedure, using the minimum square method in a 3x4 factorial (treatment vs. time of floor pens utilization), in a completely randomized design with four replications. The averages were compared by Tukey test. The utilization of 5.0g Impact P® m-2 litter was efficient to reducing approximately 13% logarithmic total counting of the enterobacterium in comparison to the untreated group (2.89 versus 3.31log10 (CFU), respectively, P<0.05).