ABSTRACT The present study was executed to evaluate the effect of lighting programs for meat quails on their bone growth and development. A total of 1500 sexed European quails (Coturnix coturnix coturnix) were distributed using a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, with two sexes and three lighting programs (natural, intermittent, and continuous) with five replicates of 50 quails. The lighting programs were applied in the period from 7 to 49 d of age. Weekly slaughterings were performed to remove the tibiotarsus and femur and subsequently determine weight, length, dry and mineral matter content. The growth and deposition curves of dry and mineral matter in the bones were obtained using the Gompertz model. There was no significant interaction between lighting programs and sex for the estimates of the Gompertz curve parameters of all variables studied. There was an effect of the lighting programs only on the time needed to reach the maximum deposition rate of the growth curve and dry and mineral matter deposition. Females showed higher weight and deposition of mineral matter at maturity, and took longer to reach the maximum deposition rate value for these variables. There was influence of the lighting programs on resistance and bone deformity of the tibiotarsus. For quails raised in the tropical region, a natural or intermittent lighting program must be used, as it does not compromise the development of bones and assures bone quality.

ABSTRACT The effect of using natural growth promoters (NGP) to replace traditional antimicrobials on performance, biometry of digestive and reproductive organs, sexual maturity and bone characteristics of replacement pullets was evaluated; and the relationship between these variables according to the diets was verified. Eight-week-old birds were randomly assigned to a completely randomized design and fed different diets: negative control (without growth promoters); positive control - conventional growth promoter; organic acids (OA); symbiotic (S); essential oil (EO); OA + S; and EO + S. The performance, relative weight of digestive and reproductive organs and length intestines, height and crest length, sternum length, bone quality and sexual maturity of birds were similar (p>0.05) between treatments. The heat map combined with cluster analysis showed a uniform static pattern with the formation of three horizontal groups formed by the treatments: 1) negative control, S and OA + S; 2) positive control and OE and 3) OA and OE + S. A null relationship between the treatments and the variables under study was observed. The principal components analysis revealed an association of variables in three components with 60.55% of variation. NGP can replace traditional promoters, as they do not interfere with performance, biometrics or sexual maturity. Height and length are predictive variables for the development of reproductive organs, especially the oviduct. A similarity was identified through multivariate techniques between symbiotic and organic + symbiotic acids; positive control and essential oils; and organic and symbiotic acids + essential oils.

ABSTRACT The effect of different calcium levels and two limestone granulometries on performance, egg quality, biometry of digestive organs and bone characteristics of light laying hens were evaluated. A total of 270 laying hens were used during 112 days, distributed in a completely randomized design in a 3 x 2 factorial scheme, with 3 levels of calcium (3.8, 4.0 and 4.2%) and 2 limestone granulometries (0.222 and 1.922 mm), totaling 6 treatments with 5 repetitions each. The parameters evaluated were: feed intake, egg production, egg weight and mass, feed conversion per mass and per dozen eggs, albumen, yolk and shell percentage, specific gravity of eggs and shell thickness. In addition, the relative weight of the heart, proventricle, gizzard, liver, pancreas, intestine weight and length, and bone characteristics were also evaluated. A significant interaction was observed for tibia mineral matter. Egg production was influenced by the limestone granulometry, presenting greater value in the treatments which contained fine granulometry limestone. Higher calcium levels of 4.0 and 4.2% provide greater specific density of eggs. Biometric variables and bone characteristics were not influenced by the treatments. In conclusion, it is recommended to use fine-grained limestone (0.222 mm) and a 4% calcium level in diets for light commercial hens, as they improve performance and quality of eggs, without interfering in biometrics of digestive organs and bone characteristics.

ABSTRACT We determined the nutritional and energy compositions of sunflower seed cake (SC) and examined the effects of its inclusion in the diet of meat quail. A metabolism trial was performed employing the total excreta collection method, with 144 quails that were assigned to three treatments (control diet and two test diets in which SC replaced 20 and 40% of the control diet) in a completely randomised design (CRD) with six replicates of eight birds. The values determined of dry matter, crude protein and metabolisable energy were 94.72%, 24.29% and 2,629 kcal/kg, respectively. For the performance trial, 432 quails were assigned to six treatments (dietary inclusion of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% SC) in a CRD with six replicates of 12 birds. The metabolic coefficients of dry matter (MCDM) and gross energy (MCGE) of the diet decreased linearly with increasing SC levels. Compared with the control group, SC inclusion at levels greater than 10% resulted in lower MCDM and MCGE values, whereas SC inclusion at 20 and 25% reduced AMEn. Weight gain, feed conversion and economic viability parameters showed a quadratic response, with the best values obtained at the respective SC levels of 15.5, 14.0, and 15.4%. Gizzard weight increased linearly with the inclusion of SC, whereas bone quality was not affected. Sunflower cake can be used up to 25% in diets of meat quails without compromising their performance. However, the best feed conversion and economic viability are obtained with an SC inclusion level of 15%.

ABSTRACT Two experiments were carried out with the objective of evaluating the effect of superdosing of two phytases on performance, egg quality, digestive organ biometry and bone quality of light hens in the first (58 weeks) and second (87 weeks) productive cycle. In the first cycle, 270 light hens were used, in which a completely randomized design was adopted in a 2 x 2 + 1 factorial scheme (bacterial phytase or fungal phytase x 450 FTUs or 900 FTUs + control diet). In the second cycle, 270 hens were used, following the same design as the previous experiment. The performance and quality of the eggs were evaluated in both cycles, and the biometry of the digestive organs and bone characteristics were also evaluated in the first experiment. There was no effect in the comparison between the means for the performance and egg quality (in both experiments), or for the biometric variables and bone characteristics (first experiment). There was no significant interaction between the factors for any of the variables in the two experiments. In the first experiment, egg production was higher with bacterial phytase and egg weight with fungal phytase. The mineral matter showed greater value with 450 FTUs. It is recommended to use bacterial phytase produced from Escherichia coli as it improves the performance of light laying hens. The dosage of 450 FTUs improves the mineral content of light laying hens and the use of phytase in the laying hen diet implies a lower feed cost.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two types of phytases (the 1st produced from Escherichia coli and the 2nd from Aspergillus oryzae) with different dosages (300 and 900 Unit Phytase or FTU) on performance, organ biometry and bone quality of replacement pullets in the period of 8 to 17 weeks of age. A total of 288 Hy-Line White laying hens were used at 8 weeks of age. A completely randomized design was adopted in a 2 x 2 factorial scheme, totaling 4 treatments with 8 replicates of 9 birds each. Performance, biometric variables and bone characteristics were evaluated. There was no significant interaction between the factors for any of the evaluated variables. The conversion and the accumulated consumption were influenced (p<0.05) by the phytase dosages, with the highest results being observed for the consumption obtained with 300 FTU, and the best results for the feed conversion obtained with the dosage of 900 FTU. The relative weight of the liver was influenced by the treatments (p<0.05), presenting higher values with bacterial phytase and a dosage of 900 FTU. The sternum length and tibial deformity were influenced by fungal phytase (p<0.05). It is concluded that the use of 900 FTU superdosing and fungal phytase improves the performance and bone characteristics of light replacement pullets.

ABSTRACT Dietary inclusion of lipid sources has been one of the methods adopted by nutritionists aiming at better energy balancing. However, alternative energy feedstuffs have been sought in an attempt to reduce production costs. In this regard, lipid sources that can replace conventional ones, such as beef tallow, cottonseed oil, and sunflower oil have been investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of different lipid sources on the performance, egg quality, biometrics of digestive organs, and bone quality of white-egg commercial layers in the first production cycle. A total of 216 Hy-Line White layers at 70 weeks of age, weighing 1.701 ± 0.103 kg, were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments and six replicates. The diets provided to them contained equal amounts of protein, calories, and amino acids, with only the lipid source varying - soybean oil (control), cottonseed oil, beef tallow, and sunflower oil. No significant effect of lipid sources was observed on any of the performance or egg-quality variables assessed (p>0.05). Biometric variables were not influenced by lipid sources, except for abdominal fat, which was highest in the birds receiving the beef-tallow treatments and lowest in birds fed the sunflower-oil diets (p<0.05). Except for mineral matter, bone traits were not influenced by the treatments; this variable was highest in the control treatments and lowest in the beef-tallow treatments. In conclusion, cottonseed and sunflower oils can be used to fully replace soybean oil in diets for white-egg commercial layers.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of broken rice inclusion as substitute for corn in the diet on the performance, carcass yield, and economic viability of meat-type quails between 7 and 49 days of age. A number of 288 quails was distributed according to a completely randomized design into six treatments with six replicates of eight birds each. Treatments consisted of increasing levels of broken rice (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) in replacement of corn. Increasing levels of corn substitution by broken rice in the diet of 7- to 49-day-old meat-type quails did not affect feed intake, weight gain or feed conversion ratio (p>0.05). Relative to carcass traits, the inclusion of broken rice in the diets did not influence (p>0.05) dressing percentage or breast, leg (thigh+drumstick), liver, and gizzard yields. Moreover, feed cost per kilogram of live weight gain, cost index, and economic efficiency index were not influenced by the replacement of corn by broken rice in the diets. The performance, carcass traits and economic viability of broilers fed the different levels of broken rice inclusion were not different from the control group (p>0.05). These results indicate the economic viability of total replacement of corn by broken rice in the feeding of meat-type quails.

This study aimed at evaluating the total replacement of corn by white or red sorghum and the inclusion or not of pigment in the diet on the performance and yolk color of Japanese quail eggs. In the trial, 210 Japanese quails were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design consisting of five treatments with six replicates of seven birds each. Treatments consisted of Corn-based diet (C), white sorghum-based diet (WS), white sorghum-based diet + pigment (WSP), red sorghum-based diet (RS), and red sorghum-based diet + pigment (RSP). Feed intake, feed conversion ratio, egg production, and egg mass were no influenced by the treatments. However, paler egg yolks were produced when corn was replaced by sorghum. When red and white sorghum varieties were compared, there were no differences in yolk color or response to pigment dietary inclusion. It was concluded that the total replacement of corn by sorghum in the feed did not influence the performance of Japanese quails and that yolk color response is not affected by the inclusion of pigments in diets containing sorghum, independently of its variety.

The present study was carried out to compare the growth curve, performance and carcass yield of two broiler strains, Paraíso Pedrês (PP) and ISA Label (ISA), raised in confined or semi-confined systems. It was used a completely randomized design with five replicates, consisting of 20 and 29 birds in semi-confined and confined systems, respectively. Semi-confined birds had free access to pasture at 28 days of age. Performance data were recorded weekly by building growth curves as well as calculating the growth rate. After reaching the recommended body weight (2.5 kg), male birds were slaughtered for physicochemical analysis of carcass, parts and organs. Semi-confined PP and ISA birds showed higher growth potential, higher weight gain, lower feed intake and better feed-to-gain ratio than confined birds. No interactions were observed for carcass yield and meat quality characteristics. Males presented higher yields of feet, drumstick, thigh, drumstick + thigh, and heart, while females presented higher breast and abdominal fat yield. Breast meat from ISA Label birds was more yellowish than from PP, whereas less soft meat was observed in semi-confined birds.

Three trials were carried out to determine energy metabolized (EM) requirement model for starting and growing pullets from different strains, at five ambient temperatures and different percentage feather coverage. In Trial I, metabolizable energy requirements for maintenance (MEm) and efficiency of energy utilization were estimated using 64 birds of two different strains, Hy-Line W36 (HLW36) and Hy-Line Semi-heavy (HLSH), from 9 to 13 weeks of age. The effects of ambient temperature (12, 18, 24, 30 and 36ºC) and percentage feather coverage (0, 50 and 100%) on MEm were assessed in the second trial, using 48 birds per temperature per strain (HLSH and HLW36) from 9 to 13 weeks of age. Trial III evaluated ME requirements for weight gain (MEg) using 1,200 birds from two light strains (HLW36 and Hisex Light, HL) and two semi-heavy strains (HLSH and Hisex Semi-heavy, HSH) reared until 18 weeks of age. According to the prediction models, MEm changed as a function of temperature and feather coverage, whereas MEg changed as a function of age and bird strain. Thus, two models were developed for birds aged 1 to 6 weeks, one model for the light strain and one for the semi-heavy strain. Energy requirements (ER) were different among strains from 7 to 12 weeks, and therefore 4 models were elaborated. From 13 to 18 weeks, one single model was produced for semi-heavy birds, since ER between semi-heavy strains were not different, whereas two different models were elaborated for the light layers. MEg of light birds was higher than MEg of semi-heavy birds, independent of age.