ABSTRACT: This study evaluated the effect of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) condensed tannin extract in simple and complex diets for weaned piglets on performance, faecal consistency and serum haptoglobin concentrations. Eighty-eight female and castrated male piglets were used, weaned at 28 ± 3 days old, with an initial body weight of 8.02 ± 1.21 kg, housed in same-sex pairs and distributed in four treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment in a randomised complete block design. The experimental treatments were simple diet (SD), simple diet + tannin (SD+T), complex diet (CD) and complex diet + tannin (CD+T). The simple diets contained lower concentrations of dairy ingredients, inclusion of barley and no addition of zinc oxide, palatant, acidifier and yeast. The diets with tannin were supplemented with 1,850 mg kg-1 of black wattle condensed tannin extract. The feed programme consisted of three diets: Pre-starter I (0-7 days), Pre-starter II (8-21 days) and Starter (22-28 days). Feed and water were available ad libitum. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly to calculate the average daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. The faecal consistency score was measured daily to calculate the diarrhoea occurrence percentage. Blood samples for serum haptoglobin concentration were collected at 7 and 14 days after weaning. The addition of condensed tannin had no effect (P > 0.05) on evaluated performance variables for weaned piglets. The diet type also did not affect the piglets’ performance (P > 0.05). The inclusion of black wattle (Acacia mearnsii) condensed tannin does not affect piglet performance, reduces the incidence of diarrhoea in the first week after weaning and decreases the haptoglobin inflammatory response.

RESUMO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o efeito de extrato de tanino condensado de acácia-negra (Acacia mearnsii) no desempenho, consistência fecal e concentração sérica de haptoglobina em leitões na fase de creche. Foram utilizados 88 leitões desmamados aos 28±3 dias, com peso vivo médio inicial 8,02 ± 1,21 kg, alojados em duplas de mesmo sexo, e distribuídos em quatro tratamentos em um delineamento de blocos inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial 2 x 2. Os tratamentos experimentais foram: dieta simples (SD); dieta simples + tanino (SD+T); dieta complexa (CD) e dieta complexa + tanino (CD+T). As dietas simples foram formuladas com menores concentrações de derivados de leite, inclusão de cevada e sem adição de óxido de zinco, palatabilizante e levedura. As dietas com inclusão de tanino foram suplementadas com 1850 mg kg-1 de extrato concentrado de tanino de acácia negra. O programa alimentar foi constituído de três dietas: Pré-inicial I (0 a 7 dias), Pré-inicial II (8 a 21 dias) e Inicial (22 a 28 dias). Ração e água ficaram disponíveis ad libitum. O peso e o consumo de ração dos leitões foram mensurados semanalmente, para calcular a média diária de consumo, o ganho de peso diário e a conversão alimentar. O índice de consistência fecal foi medido diariamente para calcular a porcentagem de ocorrência de diarreia. Amostras de sangue para concentração sérica de haptoglobina foram coletadas aos sete e 14 dias após o desmame. A adição de tanino condensado não teve efeito (P > 0,05) no desempenho de leitões desmamados. O tipo de dieta também não afetou o desempenho dos leitões (P > 0,05). A inclusão do tanino condensado de acácia-negra (Acacia mearnsii) não afetou desempenho, reduziu a incidência de diarreia na primeira semana após o desmame, e diminuiu a resposta inflamatória da haptoglobina.

ABSTRACT This study compared the social and feeding behaviour of immunocastrated female pigs using different immunocastration protocols. We used seventy-two gilts from industrial crossbreeding (Agroceres × Topigs) at 15 weeks of age. The pigs were distributed in a randomised design with three treatments. The second dose of the immunocastration vaccine was applied in two groups, six weeks before slaughter (I6) and four weeks before slaughter (I4). A non-immunised group (NI) was used for comparison. Due to the divergence in the time of immunisation between the two groups, an individual comparison of each immunocastrated group with the control group (NI vs. I6 and NI vs. I4) was performed. Social behaviour was analysed through the collection of images by a monitoring camera, and the analysis period was from 6:00 to 18:00 h, with behaviour observed every ten minutes. Feeding behaviour data were collected by the automated FIRE® system. Anti-GnRH immunisation and the different protocols of application did not influence most social and feeding behaviours.

RESUMO: Os objetivos deste estudo foram (1) comparar a vulnerabilidade de aviários com diferentes sistemas de resfriamento, e (2) avaliar a distribuição espacial interna das variáveis ambientais durante dias quentes. Quatro aviários comerciais potencialmente vulneráveis no sul do Brasil foram selecionados de acordo com os seguintes parâmetros de elegibilidade: ausência ou presença de diferentes sistemas de resfriamento; frangos de corte com mais de 28 dias de idade; e temperatura de bulbo seco do ar externa acima de 30 °C. A vulnerabilidade do aviário foi classificada de acordo com o sistema de resfriamento e ventilação mecânica, sendo: resfriamento por pad cooling (CPC), aspersão (SPK), nebulização (FOG) e ventilação mecânica sem sistema de resfriamento evaporativo (VTL). A temperatura de bulbo seco do ar (Tbs, °C) e a umidade relativa do ar (UR, %) foram coletadas por registradores de dados autônomos a cada 10 min. Para cada aviário foram avaliados: (1) eficiência relativa de resfriamento (RCE) e (2) distribuição espacial interna das variáveis ambientais por técnica de geoestatística. O CPC e SPK não diferiram (P>0,05) na RCE (81,6% e 80,7% respectivamente), mas ambos diferiram do FOG (23,8%) e VLT (1,87%). As maiores variações na Tbs do ar interno foram registradas no FOG (7 °C), seguido pelo SPK (4 °C) e CPC (3 °C). No CPC, houve um aumento da umidade relativa do meio para o final do aviário, próximo aos exaustores. Em conclusão, a eficiência relativa de resfriamento, assim como a distribuição espacial das variáveis ambientais internas foram influenciadas pelo sistema de resfriamento de cada aviário.

ABSTRACT: This study evaluated: (1) the vulnerability of broiler houses with different cooling systems, and (2) the spatial distribution of environmental variables during hot days. Four potentially vulnerable commercial broiler houses in southern Brazil were selected according to the following parameters: absence or presence of different cooling systems, broilers older than 28 days, and outside air dry-bulb temperature over 30°C. Broiler house vulnerability was classified according to the cooling and mechanical ventilation system: cellulose pad cooling (CPC), sprinkling (SPK), fogging (FOG), and mechanical ventilation without evaporative cooling system (VTL). The air dry-bulb temperature (Tdb, °C) and relative humidity (RH, %) were recorded every 10 min. For each broiler house, we evaluated: (1) relative cooling efficiency (RCE) and (2) inside spatial distribution of microclimate variables using a geostatistical technique. The CPC and SPK did not differ (P<0.05) in RCE (81.6% and 80.7%, respectively), but both differed from FOG (23.8%) and VLT (1.87%) systems. The highest variations in indoor Tdb were recorded in the FOG (7 °C), followed by the SPK (4 °C) and CPC (3 °C). In the CPC, there was an increase in RH from the middle to the end of the broiler house near the exhaust fans. In conclusion, the relative cooling efficiency and the inside spatial distributions of environmental variables in the broiler houses were influenced by the existing cooling system.

ABSTRACT The hatchery is one of the most important segments of the poultry chain, and generates an abundance of data, which, when analyzed, allow for identifying critical points of the process . The aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of the data mining technique to databases of egg incubation of broiler breeders and laying hen breeders. The study uses a database recording egg incubation from broiler breeders housed in pens with shavings used for litters in natural mating, as well as laying hen breeders housed in cages using an artificial insemination mating system. The data mining technique (DM) was applied to analyses in a classification task, using the type of breeder and house system for delineating classes. The database was analyzed in three different ways: original database, attribute selection, and expert analysis. Models were selected on the basis of model precision and class accuracy. The data mining technique allowed for the classification of hatchery fertile eggs from different genetic groups, as well as hatching rates and the percentage of fertile eggs (the attributes with the greatest classification power). Broiler breeders showed higher fertility (> 95 %), but higher embryonic mortality between the third and seventh day post-hatching (> 0.5 %) when compared to laying hen breeders’ eggs. In conclusion, applying data mining to the hatchery process, selection of attributes and strategies based on the experience of experts can improve model performance.

ABSTRACT. The management of poultry feed is an important welfare promoter and the glycemic index a noninvasive evaluation. The aim was to evaluate the glycemic response of broiler breeders in restricted feeding system, and broilers receiving ad libitum feeding. Two experiments were carried out: I) 39-week-oldbroiler breeders, fed with three sources of fiber, in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme (3 fiber diets x 7 collection periods); and II) broilers, 42 days old, housed in different light systems, in a completely randomized design in factorial design (2 sexes x 2 lighting conditions x 13 collection periods). Blood glucose levels were measured at random collecting one blood drop from foot, with three replicates in each condition and treatment. In broiler breeder different fiber sources had no effect on glycemia, but the period affected circulating glucose levels, presenting a minimum of 184.3 mg dL-1 before feed and, a maximum of 242.5 mg dL-1 four hours after feeding. In broilers, there was a significant effect in glycemia for collection period and for sex, and interaction between lighting conditions and collection period. Further studies are needed to establish reference values to compare blood glucose levels in poultry.

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate a growth model applied to adjust nutritional programs for growing and finishing pigs, in a commercial production context. The phase I (calibration) was conducted in a commercial pig production unit. The data were collected from a nutritional program, a feed program, and an animal profile. In experimental phase II, these data were entered in the InraPorc® model for simulations and to propose adjustments to the commercial nutritional program. Afterwards, the conventional nutritional program (CNP) and the adjusted nutritional program (ANP) were compared with InraPorc® simulation. Animal profile was collected by weighing 30% of pigs per stall and monitoring their feed intake in each stage. Four hundred and thirty-two pigs with an average initial body weight of 21.9 kg were used in a completely randomized design. There were no differences between treatments, the pig performance was affected by temperature conditions, and the fat thickness was 8% higher for CNP than ANP. In conclusion, the model has advantages to adjust growing and finishing pig nutrition programs and improve environmental and economic aspects.