Newton Tavares Escocard de Oliveira

Efeito da temperatura de estocagem e do tipo de embalagem sobre a qualidade interna de ovos de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica)

Avaliou-se o efeito de temperatura de estocagem e tipo de embalagem, na qualidade interna de ovos de codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica, Temminck & Schlegel, 1849), no 5o, 10o, 15o e 20o dias experimentais. Utilizaram-se 192 ovos de codornas japonesas em delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado e esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com vinte e quatro tratamentos e oito repeticoes de um ovo por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos foram constituidos pela combinacao de duas temperaturas de estocagem (ambiente e sob refrigeracao) versus tres tipos de embalagem (papel, isopor e plastico), casualizada nas parcelas, versus quatro tempos (5o, 10o, 15o e 20o dias de estocagem), alocados nas subparcelas. As variaveis estudadas foram perda de peso (PP), em porcentagem, altura de albume (AA), em milimetros, e unidade Haugh (UH). Com o aumento do tempo de estocagem, houve reducao da altura de albume e da unidade Haugh e aumento da perda de peso de ovos de codornas japonesas, armazenados sob temperatura ambiente. No decorrer do periodo de estocagem, os valores medios de altura de albume e unidade Haugh de ovos de codornas japonesas, estocados sob refrigeracao foram maiores do que as respectivas medias de altura de albume e unidade Haugh de ovos estocados sob temperatura ambiente. O uso da embalagem de isopor proporcionou menor perda de peso dos ovos do que o uso das embalagens de papel e de plastico, independente do tempo e da temperatura de estocagem.

Exigências de Proteína Bruta e Energia Metabolizável para Codornas Japonesas Criadas para a Produção de Carne

Four hundred and fifty quails of each sex, in a total of nine hundred quails, were assigned to a completely randomized design with five replicates of six quails per experimental unit, to estimate the crude protein (CP) and metabolizable energy (ME) requirements for maximum performance of females and males Japanese quails reared for meat production purpose and to determine the best slaughter age. The treatments were consisted of the quails sex and the experimental diets, resultant from the combination of five levels of CP (18, 20, 22, 24 and 26%) and three level of ME (2800, 3000 and 3200 kcal/kg of diet), and allotted to the plots and to the four experimental periods, as splitplots. The estimates of CP and ME requirements during the first (5 to 16), third (27 to 38) and fourth (38 to 49 days of age) periods were: 26 and 2800; 18 and 3200 and 19,62% and 3200 kcal/kg of diet for females and 26 and 2800; 18 and 3200 and 18% and 3200 kcal/kg of diet for males, respectively. The CP requirement for females and males in the second (16 to 27 days of age) period was 26%, however it was not possible to estimate the ME requirement for both sexes, in relation to the same period. For the whole period, the estimated crude protein requirement for maximum weight gain of females and males was 24.73%. The estimated ages for maximum body weight depended on the crude protein level of diet and varied from 91 to 189 days of age for females and from 57 to 83 days for males.

Desempenho e qualidade do ovo de codornas japonesas alimentadas com rações contendo sorgo

The aim of this study was to evaluate performance and egg quality of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) fed rations with low-tannin sorghum replacing corn. Two hundred and ten 65-d female Japanese quails were distributed in a complete random design with five experimental rations (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% replacement of corn by sorghum) and six replicates with seven birds. There was no significant effect of sorghum levels in the diets on any of the production characteristics in this experiment, which lasted for 112 days. As the levels of sorghum in the ration increased, yolk color and ration cost were reduced. Low-tannin sorghum can completely replace corn in rations for laying Japanese quails.

Honey bee visitation to sunflower: effects on pollination and plant genotype

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an allogamic plant, which needs insects on flowering, especially the honeybees for seed production. Collecting nectar and pollen by honeybees in agricultural crops is essential to apiculture, as well as a better understanding of plant biology. The foraging behavior of Africanized Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera, Apidae) and its efficiency of pollination on seed yield of sunflower genotypes (open pollination and restricted pollination) were evaluated. There were peaks of visits by A. mellifera for nectar collection on the 2nd and 3rd flowering days between 7h00 and 8h30. The average density of A. mellifera during increased visitation ranged from 2.27 to 2.94 bees per capitulum. Nectar collecting bees were more frequent (2.28 bees per capitulum) than pollen collecting (0.40 bees per capitulum). On the 3rd flowering day, Helio 360 and Aguara hybrids had higher (p ≤ 0.05) number of bee visits per flower head than the other genotypes. Seed yield was 43 % higher (p ≤ 0.05) from sunflower plants that were visited by pollinator-insects compared with plants restricted to pollinators.

Honey and propolis production, hygiene and defense behaviors of two generations of Africanized honey bees

Phenotypic characters of honeybees, relevant to beekeepers, can be evaluated by studying correlations between them, and the correlated characteristics can be evaluated in the short term to assist in monitoring of annual genetic progress. This work therefore aims to evaluate the production of honey and propolis, the hygiene and defensive behaviours of two generations of Africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae), to estimate the correlations between them and their heritability. We used 30 Langstroth beehives in apiaries in Marechal Cândido Rondon, Parana State, Brazil. We used a method of drilling pupae to evaluate hygiene behaviour and the velveteen ball method to test defensive behaviour. We selected ten colonies which had the best honey and propolis production, and which produced F1 queens that were then transferred to beehives at an experimental farm, in order to observe honey and propolis production, hygiene and defence behaviours of their female offspring. The estimated differences for each characteristic between the generations, the correlations between them within each generation and their heritability suggest that selection of colonies based on propolis production was more efficient at maintaining this high production than was selection based on honey production according to the performance of the colonies for this characteristic. The selected behavioural characteristics can be used to enhance performance, but not for improving yield characteristics evaluated.

Pigmentação de gemas de ovos de codornas japonesas alimentadas com rações contendo colorífico

Objetivou-se neste trabalho avaliar, semanalmente, o grau de pigmentacao de gemas de ovos de codornas japonesas alimentadas com racoes contendo diferentes niveis de colorifico (163,8 mg bixina/100 g), no decorrer de quatro semanas. Utilizaram-se 240 codornas japonesas (Coturnix japonica) femeas, em delineamento experimental em blocos inteiramente casualizados, com oito tratamentos, cinco repeticoes e seis codornas por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos, constituidos por oito racoes experimentais resultantes da combinacao de quatro niveis de colorifico na racao (0; 1,5; 3,0 e 4,5%) e duas fontes energeticas (milho e quirera de arroz), foram distribuidos nas parcelas, enquanto que os quatro dias experimentais (7o, 14o, 21o e 28o) constituiram as subparcelas. A equacao de regressao estimada com o uso do modelo logaritmico explicou 96% da variacao dos dados de escore colorimetrico das gemas. No 7o e 14o dia do experimento, os niveis de colorifico estimados que promoveram escores colorimetricos de gemas com padrao caipira (8,5 a 9,0 pontos) foram de 1,5%, em racoes a base de milho, e 3,0%, em racoes a base de quirera de arroz. No 21o e 28o dia experimental, os valores estimados foram de 0,75% (racoes com milho) e 2,25% (racoes com quirera). Em racoes com 46,0% de milho ou quirera de arroz, o uso de niveis superiores a 3,0% de colorifico promoveu aumento das perdas de pigmento, pelas excretas, e consequente reducao da capacidade de deposicao de pigmentos nas gemas.

Pollination of Rapeseed (Brassica napus) by Africanized Honeybees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on Two Sowing Dates

In this study, performed in the western part of the state of Paraná, Brazil, two self-fertile hybrid commercial rapeseed genotypes were evaluated for yield components and physiological quality using three pollination tests and spanning two sowing dates. The treatments consisted of combinations of two rapeseed genotypes (Hyola 61 and Hyola 433), three pollination tests (uncovered area, covered area without insects and covered area containing a single colony of Africanized Apis mellifera honeybees) and two sowing dates (May 25th, 2011 and June 25th, 2011). The presence of Africanized honeybees during flowering time increased the productivity of the rapeseed. Losses in the productivity of the hybrids caused by weather conditions unfavorable for rapeseed development were mitigated through cross-pollination performed by the Africanized honeybees. Weather conditions may limit the foraging activity of Africanized honeybees, causing decreased cross-pollination by potential pollinators, especially the Africanized A. mellifera honeybee. The rapeseed hybrids respond differently depending on the sowing date, and the short-cycle Hyola 433 hybrid is the most suitable hybrid for sowing under less favorable weather conditions.

EQUATIONS TO PREDICT THE METABOLIZABLE ENERGY OF MEAT AND BONE MEAL FOR GROWING PIGS

The prediction of metabolizable energy (ME) of meat and bone meal (MBM) for pigs is an interesting tool, however, used models to predict these values must be validated in order to garantee higher precision. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical and energetic composition of different types of MBM for pigs and to adjust and validate models to better predict the ME based on the chemical composition. Thirty-two barrows, averaging an initial weight of 26.75 ± 1.45 kg, were individually allotted in a randomized block design with eight treatments and four replicates. The treatments consisted of seven types of MBM that replaced 20% of the basal diet. A stepwise procedure was the statistical procedure used to adjust the prediction equations and the ME was the dependent parameter. The validation of the adjusted models was performed using an independent databank of chemical and energetic composition of theBrazilian and international MBM. The metabolizable energy of different meat and bone meals ranged from 1645 to 2645 kcal kg-1. The equations that provide a good prediction of metabolizable energy of meat and bone meal for swine in Brazil are EM1 = -4233.58 + 0.4134GE + 72CP + 89.62ash - 159.06Ca; EM2 = 2087.49 + 0.3446GE + 31.82ash - 189.18Ca; EM3 = 2140.13 + 0.3845GE - 112.33Ca; EM4 = -346.58 + 0.656GE; EM5 = 3221.27 + 178.96fat - 76.55ash; and EM6 = 5356.45 - 84.75ash.

Triglicerideos sangüíneos e composição química da carne de codornas alimentadas com bixina e niacina suplementar

The objective of this work was to assess the effect of spices bixin and supplementary niacin on diets in the plasmatic levels of triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein, and in the fat of breast, drumstick and thigh meat and carcass of japanese quails (Coturnix japonica). Two hundred and forty japanese male quails were used in a completely randomized design, with four treatments, five replicates and 12 quails per experimental unit. The treatments were: reference diet with corn and soybean meal, without spice or supplementary niacin; diet with 4.5% spice; diet with 0.08% supplementary niacin and diet with 4.5% spice and 0.08% supplementary niacin. The treatments had no effect upon triglyceride and very low-density lipoprotein levels in plasma, as well as on ether extract contents in the drumstick and thigh meat and carcass of the quails. On the 49 th day of age, quails that received rations with 0.08% supplementary niacin had higher fat contents in the breast meat (1.50%) than quails fed with reference ration (0.85%). The addition of spices bixin and supplementary niacin to the rations do not reduce the fat levels in plasma, meat and carcass of japanese male quails.

Metabolisable energy prediction in energy feedstuffs and evaluation of the stepwise validation procedure using bootstrapping

The use of predicted values ​​of apparent metabolisable energy (AME), obtained from regression equations, can be useful for both research institutions and nutrition industries. However, there is a need to validate independent samples to ensure that the predicted equation for AME is reliable. In this study, data was collected in order to estimate the prediction equations of corn, sorghum and wheat bran for pig feed, based on the chemical composition, in addition to evaluating the validity of the stepwise selection procedure regressive method of non-parametric bootstrap resampling. Data from metabolism trials in pigs and the chemical composition of foods was collected from both national and international literature, expressed as dry matter. After the residue analysis, five models of multiple linear regression were adjusted to randomly generate 1000 bootstrap samples of equal size from the database via meta-analysis. The five estimated models were adjusted for all bootstrapped samples using the stepwise method. The highest percentage significance for regressor (PSR) value was observed for digestible energy (100%) in the AME 1 model, and gross energy (95.7%) in the AME 2 model, indicating high correlation of the regressive model with AME. The regressors selected for AME 4 and AME 5 resulted in a PSR of greater than 50%, and were validated for estimating the AME of pig feed. However, the percentage of joint occurrence of regressor models showed low reliability, with values ​​between 2.6% (AME 2 ) and 23.4% (AME 4 ), suggesting that the stepwise procedure was invalid.