Abstract This study evaluated the effects of the dietary inclusion of an enzyme blend and a direct-fed microbials in broiler diets on litter production and quality. In total, 900 Cobb 500(r) broiler chicks were distributed according to a completely randomized design into 4 treatments and 9 replicates of 25 birds each. Broilers were reared from 1 to 42 days of age. The treatments consisted of the following diets: NC: negative control; DFM: NC + 500 ppm of direct-fed microbials product (DFM), containing Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis; ENZ: diet formulated with an enzyme blend (20 ppm phytase, 200 ppm protease and 200 ppm of xylanase); DFM+E: ENZ + DFM. Birds and litter were weighed at the start and end of the rearing period, for litter production and waste ratio (Rw) determination. Litter samples were analyzed for dry matter (DM) content, total and thermotolerant coliform counts, nutrient composition (nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K)), and fiber fraction (neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and lignin). The dietary inclusion of the evaluated additivesdid not influence litter production or Rw; however, ADF (%), NDF (kg and kg/kg DM litter), and total and thermotolerant coliform counts were reduced, and N content increased in the litter. The diets containing enzymes (ENZ and DFM+E) reduced litter P content. The addition of exogenous enzymes and their combination with a DFM based on Bacillus spp .Did not affect waste production, and reduced litter microbial load, and the contents of P and insoluble fiber in the litter.

A trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of adding an exogenous α-amylase-β-glucanase complex produced from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens on the growth performance, carcass yield, and relative AME bioequivalence in broilers fed corn-soy diets from 1 to 40 d of age. One thousand seven hundred and fifty one-day-old Cobb x Cobb 500 slow-feathering male broilers were randomly allotted to seven treatments with 10 replicates of 25 birds each as follows: control diet (C); C diet with reduction of 60 (C-60), 90 (C-90), or 120 (C-120) kcal AME/kg; C diet with reduction of 120 kcal AME/kg and supplemented with 200 (C-120-200), 300 (C-120-300), or 400 (C-120-400) mg of the enzyme complex/kg. Each g of the enzyme complex corresponded to 200 kilo-Novo α-amylase and 350 fungal β-glucanase units. On d 40, eight birds were randomly taken from each pen and processed to evaluate carcass and commercial cuts yields. Percent mortality was not affected by the treatments (p > 0.05). Live performance, as indicated by BW gain (BWG) linearly decreased (p < 0.05) and FCR linearly increased with the reduction in AME. Birds fed diets supplemented with the enzyme complex showed weekly improvements in BWG and FCR. There were no effects of the treatments on the yield of the carcass or of commercial cuts; however, abdominal fat was significantly lower (p < 0.0343) in birds fed the C-120-400 compared to the C-120 feeding program (1.67% vs. 1.90%); all other treatments were intermediate. Average AME equivalence of the enzyme complex varied weekly. Estimations for the entire period were 40, 46, and 56 kcal for BWG and 58, 76, and 99 kcal AME/kg for FCR (p < 0.001) for the diets containing 200, 300, and 400 mg enzyme complex/kg, respectively.

There are some evidences described in the literature showing reduced energy metabolizability of ingredients for newly hatched chicks. Hence, a metabolism trial was carried out with the objective of determining the metabolizable energy of corn grain, soybean meal and micronized full fat soybean for newly hatched chicks. The method of total excreta collection was used in an experiment with 192 male chicks from one to seven days, distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replicates of twelve birds. Excreta were collected from four to seven days of age. The treatments included a reference diet, two test-diets consisting of 60% of the reference diet and 40% of the test ingredients: corn grain (CG) and soybean meal (SM), and one test-diet consisting of 80% of the reference diet and 20% of micronized full fat soybean (MFFS). The N-corrected apparent metabolizable energy (AMEn) and the metabolizability coefficient of gross energy (MCGE) of the ingredients determined for the chicks were respectively 3,213 kcal/kg and 81.6% for CG; 2,085 kcal/kg and 49.7% for SM and 4,068 kcal/kg and 74.8% for MFFS.

This study was conducted to determine the effect of microbial or antimicrobial additives on the performance and organ morphology of broilers raised in batteries or in floor pens. The effect of microbial additives on the presence of oocysts in the litter was also studied. Experiments 1 and 2 consisted of four treatments (non-supplemented control diet or diet supplemented with avilamycin, bacitracin methylene disalicylate or enramycin) and six repetitions in a randomized block design. In Experiment 1, 288 day-old chicks were housed in heated batteries in a environmentally controlled room, 12 chicks per cage; in Experiment 2, 1,200 day-old chicks were housed in a curtain-sided experimental house, with concrete floor and rice hulls as litter material, 50 chicks per pen. Experiments 3 and 4 were carried out similarly to Experiments 1 and 2, respectively, but the treatments consisted of microbial additives (non-supplemented control diet or Bacillus subtilis added to the feed plus Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus johnsonii added to the water, undefined microflora added to the water or live yeast added to the feed). The antibiotics did not affect the performance of birds raised in batteries, but improved feed conversion, weight gain and live weight when chickens were kept on the floor pens. Microbial additives did not affect bird performance in any environment; however, treatments affected liver weight. Microbial agents increased intestinal weight in floor-raised broilers. No relationship was seen between the use of microbial additives and the presence of oocysts in the litter.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utilização da polpa de citros peletizada (PCP) como cama de frango, bem como analisar a composição bromatológica desse material. O experimento foi constituído de 1.792 pintos de um dia-machos e dividido em duas fases: 1 a 21 e 35 a 49 dias. Foi utilizado o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 2x2x2, sendo os fatores tipo de cama: PCP e maravalha x altura de cama: 7 e 10 cm x densidade: 10 e 14aves/m². Foram avaliados os parâmetros: gsnho de peso(GP), consumo de ração (CR), conversão alimentar (CA),viabilidade (V), incidência de lesões no coxim plantar e de calo de peito, matéria seca (MS) e pH da cama aos 21 e 49 dias. Para verificar as possíveis alterações bromatológicas na cama foram feitas análises de Weende e Van Soest, bem como de energia bruta. Independentemente da altura da cama, as aves criadas em PCP numa densidade de 14 aves/m² apresentaram piores resultados de GP e CR no período de 35 a 49 dias. Em geral, os resultados de GP e CR foram mais influenciados pelas densidades do que pelos materiais utilizados. Não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para ambas as lesões. De uma maneira geral, a MS da cama de PCP foi maior enquanto o pH foi menor quando comparados com a maravalha. Nas análises bromatológicas, observou-se um efeito significativo dos tratamentos para todas as variáveis, com exceção da MM, a qual não apresentou diferença entre as médias (p>0,05). Melhores valores de PB, FDN e FDA foram obtidos com a cama de PCP.

The object of this experiment was to evaluate the citrus pulp-pelleted (CPP) as a broiler litter and their chemical composition. The experiment used 1792 one day-old males, and it was divided into two phases: 1 to 21 and 35 to 49 days of age. The experimental design was a factorial 2x2x2 with four replicates. The factors were: type of broiler litter (CPP and wood shaving), broiler litter depth (7 and 10 cm) and stocking densities (10 and 14 broilers/m²). The parameters analyzed were: weight gain (WG), feed consumption(FC), feed conversion, incidence of breast blister and foot pad lesion, survivability, dry matter and pH of the broiler litter (21 and 49 days old). To evaluate the possible alteration in the litter chemical composition Weende and van Soest analyses was performed and gross energy was also determined. Independently of depth of litter, the broilers reared on CPP and in the density of 14 broiler/m² showed worse results to WG and FC of 35 to 49 days of age. The results of WG and FC were more affected by the density than the types of broiler litter. There was no significant difference among the treatments for footpad lesion and for lesions of breast blister. The dry matter was higher in CPP than wood shaving. The pH of the broiler litter of CPP was smaller than wood shaving. The chemical analysis showed significant differences due to treatment (p<0.05) for all variables except to mineral matter (MM), with no significant differences between the means. Best values of CP, NDF, ADF were obtained with the CPP used as material for broiler litter.