ABSTRACT The effect of fine wheat bran (FWB) as a methyl donor source on performance, metabolism, body composition and blood traits of growing broilers was studied. Three hundred and twenty broilers from eight to 28 d of age, distributed in a randomized block design, with five treatments and eight replicates of eight animals each were used. The experimental diets were: NC, formulated with 72% of the Met+Cys requirement; Met, formulated with 85% of the Met+Cys equivalents by DL-methionine addition; Bet, formulated with 85% of the Met+Cys equivalents by anhydrous betaine addition; Fwb-, formulated with 72% of the Met+Cys requirement and 20% FWB; and Fwb+, formulated with 85% of the Met+Cys requirement and 20% FWB. Feed intake was reduced (p<0.05) by FWB inclusion but the feed conversion ratio was the same (p>0.05) between the positive control diets. Supplementation of DL-methionine and anhydrous betaine showed the same (p>0.05) metabolizability of nutrients. Treatments with higher DL-methionine levels (Met and Fwb+) promoted more weight of feathers (p<0.05). Animals fed with FWB showed the lowest (p<0.05) body gains. In conclusion, FWB inclusion did not promote methyl radicals supply.

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of an enzyme blend (EB) on the performance, diet metabolizability, phosphorus (P) retention, and bone mineralization of broilers fed diets containing 10% defatted rice bran (DRB). In total, 432 one- to 38-d-old male Cobb broilers were evaluated according to a completely randomized experimental design in 3 x 2 factorial arrangement. Three diets were tested with two nutrient reductions (NR) in the matrix (standard diet; NR I of 75 kcal/kg ME, 0.1% Ca and 0.1% available P; and NR II of 100 kcal/kg ME, 0.1% Ca and 0.1% available P) with or without the addition of an EB (200 g/t). The coefficients of total tract apparent retention (CTTAR) of the diets and P retention were determined by collecting excreta during two periods (14 to 17 and 28 to 31 d). As expected, birds fed the standard diet had higher BW, BW gain, and G:F compared to birds on the NR diets. The EB did not show any positive effects on CTTAR or on performance; however, birds fed the EB retained 6.58% more P from d 14 to 17 (p ≤ 0.07) and 8.55% from d 28 to 31 (p < 0.05). Tibiotarsus ash percentage also increased by 2.45% (p ≤ 0.06) on d 38. In diets containing 10% DRB, the enzyme blend showed biological activity improving P retention and tibiotarsus mineralization.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary fiber on the performance and energy balance of broiler chickens of a fast-growing strain (Cobb500) and a slow-growing strain (Label Rokens during the period of 1 one to 42 days of used In total, 360 male broilers (240 fast-grorain and 120 slow-grtrain)were, housed in collective cages. A completely randomized experimental dewith in a 3x2 factorial arrangement was applied, consisting of three groups of birds (slow-growing - SG; fast-growing fed ad libitum - FGAL; and fast-growing pair-fed with SG broilers - FGPF) and two iso-protein dis (a 3100 kcal ME/kg low-fiber diet and a 2800 kcal ME/kg high-fiber diet- Hwith containing 14% wheat bran and 4% oat hulls). Dietary fiber level did not affect feed intake (FI); however, it resulted in lower weight gain (WG) and worse feed conversion ratio (FCR) (p < 0.001) in birds fed the HFD diet due to its lower energy content. The FGPF group presented higher WG than SG and better FCR (p < 0.001), indicating that fast-growing birds present better performance than SG broilers, even under restricted feed intake. The SG group retained more energy relative to body weight (p < 0.001), which is associated to higher body fat retention in this strain (p < 0.001). The slow-growing strain did not present better use of high-fiber diet than fast-growing strain as expected.

The objective of the experiment was to determine the Apparent Metabolizable Energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) of a glycerin product derived from biodiesel production for broilers. A number of 35 male Ross 308 broilers, with 35 days of age was fed ad libitum diets containing 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20% glycerin. AMEn was determined using total excreta collection, with four days of adaptation and three days of collection. Increasing glycerin intakes resulted in increased water excretion. Glycerin AMEn varied as a function of dietary inclusion levels, and a cubic equation was identified by regression analysis. Maximum AMEn level- 4890 kcal/kg DM- was obtained with 15% glycerin inclusion. However, this level caused excessive water excretion, making its use unpractical.

In this study, Hisex Brown layers in lay were evaluated between 40 and 44 weeks of age to evaluate the inclusion of bacterial phytase (Ph) and sodium butyrate (SB) to diets containing different calcium levels (CaL). Performance, average egg weight and eggshell percentage, in addition to nutrient metabolizability and Ca and P balance were evaluated for 28 days. Birds were distributed according to a completely randomized experimental design with a 3x2x2 factorial arrangement, with three calcium levels (2.8, 3.3, 3.8%); the addition or not of phytase (500PhU/kg) and the addition or not of sodium butyrate (20mEq/kg), composing 12 treatments with eight replicates of one bird each. There was no additive effect of phytase or SB on the evaluated responses. Feed intake and feed conversion ratio were influenced by CaL, with the best performance obtained with 3.3% dietary Ca. Ca balance was positively affected by dietary Ca, and P balance by the addition of phytase. Ca dietary concentration, estimated to obtain Ca body balance, was 3.41%, corresponding to an apparent retention of 59.9% of Ca intake.

Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the inclusion of vegetable oils with different fatty acid content in starter and pre-starter broiler diets. In Experiment I 480 1- to 9-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were fed diets containing corn oil (CO), acid corn oil (ACO), linseed oil (LO) or coconut fat (CoF). Chicks were distributed according to a factorial 2x2x2arrangement (2 free fatty acids - FFA ) x (2 n6:n3 ratios) x (2 medium-chain fatty acids levels - AGMC). Performance responses and dry matter (DMM), crude protein (CPM), and crude fat (CFM) metabolizability were evaluated. In Experiment II, 480 1- to 20-day-old male Ross 308 broilers were offered the free choice of 2 different diets: with no fat addition, or with 10% addition of the following fat sources: CO, LO, CoF, soybean soapstock (SBS), acid soybean oil (ASO), or acid cottonseed oil (ACtO). Performance responses and diet selection were evaluated. In experiment I, there were no significant effects of the diets on performance, DMM, or CPM; however, the inclusion of FFA depressed CFM. In experiment II, there was a marked preference of birds of the diets with fat inclusion, leading to the selection of diets with more than 3100 kcal/kg ME in the period of 1 to 20 days, independently of fat source. The broilers selected the high fat and energy diets since the first days of age, which resulted in better bird performance.

This experiment aimed at verifying the effect of different diets and thermal environments on the performance, carcass yield, and diet digestibility of 21 to 42-day-old broilers. A total number of 288 21-day-old male Ross broilers were distributed in a 2 x 2 + 2 factorial arrangement, with six replicates, including the following factors: two environments (TNE - thermoneutral: 21-25ºC and 73% RH; CHS - cyclic heat stress: 25-32ºC and 65%RH), and two diets (control: 2.4% soybean oil and 19.5% protein; summer: 4.0% soybean oil and 18.5% protein). In TNE, two additional treatments were included with feed restriction of birds fed both the control and summer diets (pair-feeding), thereby maintaining the same feed intake level for both types of diet. Diet did not influence performance, dry matter and protein digestibilities, or carcass and part yields. TNE birds had better performance (p<0.001) as compared to CHS birds, but FCR was not different. CHS birds had lower breast yield (p<0.0001), and higher thigh yield (p<0.02) than TNE birds. In the pair-feeding treatments, environment did not influence performance, but dry matter digestibility was significantly lower in CHS (p<0.03), whereas protein digestibility was not affected. The difference in feed intake was the main responsible factor for the variation in the performance of heat-stressed birds.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of diet supplementation with vitamins C and E and organic minerals Zn and Se on the performance of 1 to 35 day-old broilers from, kept under cyclic heat stress (25 to 32ºC). Four levels of vitamin-mineral supplementation were used (T1-control diet (60/30 IU of vit E for starter and growing diet, respectively, zero vit. C, 80 ppm of inorganic Zn, 0.3 ppm of inorganic Se); T2-control diet + 100 UI vit E and 300 ppm vit C/kg; T3-control diet + 40 ppm Zn and 0,3 ppm Se/kg; T4-control diet + T2 and T3 levels) and two environments - thermoneutral and cyclic heat stress (TN and HS) from 14 to 35 days of age. In the period when part of the birds was submitted to HS, from 14 to 35 days, it was observed lower feed intake (FI) and better feed conversion (FC) for HS birds receiving supplementation compared to the group without supplementation. Evaluating the total period, all the types of supplementation provided lower FI and better FC than the control treatment, but not affected weight gain (WG). The supplementation of vitamins C and E and/or organic minerals Zn and Se improved the performance of birds due to a lower FI resulting in better FC, independently on the environment.

The supplementation of vegetal diets with L-methionine (100% molar), methionine hydroxyl analogue (HMB) (88% molar) or DL-methionine (99% molar) was compared as to the performance of broilers allocated in cages and submitted to cyclic heat stress (CHS). The trial was carried out from 21 to 42 days of age. Two levels of synthetic methionine were supplemented for each methionine source (0.1 or 0.3 %), and the control treatment was not supplemented with synthetic methionine (negative control). Statistical analyses included the negative control treatment or were performed in a 3 x 2 factorial design (sources x levels). Addition of synthetic methionine to the basal level containing 0.63 % of total sulphur amino acids significantly improved feed conversion (FC) independent of the source. On the other hand, improvements in weight gain (WG) and body weight (BW) were more consistent comparing the negative control to HMB-supplemented treatments. Factorial analysis showed better FC for L-Met compared to DL-Met, whereas HMB showed intermediate results. The supplementation level of 0.3% methionine showed better FC than 0.1%. Methionine levels or sources had no effects on carcass, yields of cuts or feathering results. Therefore, results of DL-Met and HMB added to vegetal-based diets in comparable molar terms promoted similar performance in broilers under CHS conditions.

We studied the effects of two different systems of expressing amino acid requirements (total - TAA or digestible - DAA), two energy levels (2,900 or 3,200 kcal of ME/kg) and two physical forms (mash or pellet) on the performance of male broilers from 21 to 42 d of age. Diets formulated on DAA basis improved feed conversion (p<0.001) and the conversion of consumed ME into body weight gain (p<0.001). Birds fed 3,200 kcal ME/kg presented better feed conversion (p<0.001), higher abdominal fat deposition (p<0.001) and worse conversion of consumed ME into body weight gain (p<0.001) as compared to birds fed 2,900 kcal ME/kg. Birds fed pelleted feed had higher feed intake (p<0.001), higher weight gain (p<0.001), better feed conversion (p<0.001), better conversion of consumed ME into body weight gain (p<0.001) and higher abdominal fat deposition (p<0.001). The results obtained in the present study suggest that feed formulation based on DAA is required when diets contain protein sources which amino acid digestibility is unreliable. Besides, pelleted feed improves performance parameters of broilers.

An experiment with 400 one-day-old male chicks (Ross) was conducted to evaluate the effects of different Na levels (0.10, 0.22, 0.34 and 0.46%) and different cation/anion balances (Na+K-Cl) (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 meq/kg) in pre-starter diets on broiler performance. The corn and soybean-based diets had 22% crude protein and 2,900 kcal/kg metabolizable energy and were fed ad libitum. Performance data showed a positive quadratic effect of increasing Na levels on feed and water consumption, weight gain and feed conversion. Na+K-Cl also had a quadratic influence on feed intake and weight gain. None of the effects tested affected the amount of water measured in excreta. Derivatives of obtained regression equations pointed to optimal Na levels of 0.45% for water consumption, 0.40% for feed intake and weight gain and 0.38% for feed conversion. As to the effect of dietary Na+K-Cl balances on performance, regression equation values were 174 meq/kg for feed consumption and 163 meq/kg for weight gain. These results show that both Na level and Na+K-Cl balance interfere on broiler performance.

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance and carcass and breast yields of broilers fed two different energy levels (3,200 or 2,900 kcal ME/kg) and two ways of expressing amino acid requirements (total - TAA or digestible - DAA) between 21 and 42 days of age. The results showed that broilers fed the diet containing 3,200 kcal ME/kg had higher weight gain (P=0.015), better feed conversion (P=0.001), and higher abdominal fat deposition (P=0.001) as compared to those fed the diet containing 2,900 kcal ME/kg. Diets formulated on DAA basis promoted higher weight gain (P=0.043), better feed conversion (P=0.010) and better conversion of ME intake into weight gain (P=0.007) as compared to those formulated on TAA basis. The results of this study suggest that formulation based on DAA is necessary if the diets contain protein sources that are not reliable in terms of amino acid digestibility. The response to formulation based on DAA was minimized when birds received the low energy level diet (2,900 kcal ME/kg).

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different particle sizes, expressed as Geometric Mean Diameter (GMD) of corn (0.336mm, 0.585mm, 0.856mm and 1.12mm) of mash and pelleted broiler chicken diets on the weight of the gizzard, duodenum and jejunum+ileum; on the pH of the gizzard and small intestine and on the characteristics of the duodenal mucous layer (number and height of villi and crypt depth) in 42-day-old broilers. The physical form and the particle size of the diet had no significant effect on gizzard and intestine pH (p > 0.05). A greater gizzard weight was seen in the birds receiving pelleted diet and particle size of 0.336mm (p < 0.008). However, for the particle sizes of 0.856 and 1.12 mm, a greater weight was found in birds that received mash diet (p < 0.039 and p < 0.006, respectively). Also, gizzard weight was greater with increasing corn GMD independent of the physical form of the diet. In the mash diet, the increase in particle size promoted a quadratic response in the weight of duodenum and jejunum + ileum. The pelleted diet promoted a greater number of villi per transverse duodenum cut (p < 0.007) and greater crypt depth (p < 0.05). As the particle size increased, there was a linear increase of villus height and crypt depth in the duodenum, irrespective of the physical form of the diet.

O produto comercialmente chamado "óleo ácido de soja", resulta da acidificação da borra residual do processo de refino do óleo de soja. Este tem sido muito utilizado na indústria de rações animais, ainda que com vários questinamentos a cerca de sua eficiência, tais como a adulteração com outros ácidos graxos de baixo valor nutricional, nível de peroxidação, presença de impurezas, e valores energéticos não confiáveis. Neste estudo, foi avaliado o desempenho de frangos de corte consumindo dietas contendo óleo de soja ou óleo ácido de soja nos níveis de 4 e 8% ou a mistura das duas fontes em partes iguais de 2 e 4% cada. Essas dietas foram fornecidas para frangos de corte alojados em baterias climatizadas a partir dos 7 dias de idade. As aves que receberam misturas equivalentes de óleo ácido de soja e óleo de soja apresentaram menor peso corporal no final do experimento (aos 42 dias) quando comparadas com aquelas que consumiram apenas óleo ou óleo ácido de soja, independentemente do nível adicionado. O nível de inclusão de óleo de soja ou óleo ácido de soja não influenciou o peso final das aves. Foi verificado maior consumo de ração pelos animais que receberam dietas de menor nível de inclusão, o que contribuiu para piorar a conversão alimentar dos mesmos. O óleo ácido de soja demonstrou ser uma fonte energética alternativa de alto potencial econômico para uso em dietas comerciais para frangos de corte, apresentando valor energético de 8.114 kcal EMAn/kg de MS, valor 5% inferior ao determinado para o óleo de soja degomado.

Acidulated soapstock, a by-product from the vegetable oil industry has been widely used in poultry nutrition. It is produced by the acid treatment of the residue left after refining vegetable oils. Several concerns exist on the use of this product, such as: adulteration, peroxidation, impurity, and uncertain energetic value. The current experiment focused on the use of the acidulated soapstock in broiler feeds compared with soybean oil. Feeds formulated with 4 and 8% added acidulated soapstock or soybean oil or their mixture in the ratios of 2 : 2 and 4 : 4 % were given to 7 day-old broiler chicks to 42 days of age placed in heated batteries. Birds receiving the diets with acidulated soapstock plus soybean oil had lower body weight at the end of the experiment when compared with birds on the treatments exclusively prepared with acidulated soapstock or soybean oil. This response was independent of the level of oil inclusion. Birds on the lower inclusion level consumed more feed, regardless of the oil source and showed poorer feed conversions, but did not show reduction in body weight when compared to the higher level of inclusion. Acidulated soapstock demonstrated an excellent potential as an energy supplement to be used in broiler feeds and had its energetic value determined as 8.114 kcal EMAn/kg DM, 5% below the value determined for soybean oil.

Este experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de investigar os efeitos de diferentes granulometrias, expressa em Diâmetro Geométrico Médio (DGM) do milho (0,336mm, 0,585mm, 0,856 mm e 1,12 mm) de dietas fornecidas na forma farelada (FAR) e peletizada (PEL), no desempenho e no rendimento de carcaça e de cortes de frangos de corte de 21 a 42 dias de idade. Dietas FAR, produzidas com DGM de 0,336 mm resultaram em um menor consumo (p<0,001), ganho de peso (p<0,001) e pior conversão alimentar (p<0,001) do que as PEL de mesmo DGM. Os demais DGM não mostraram diferenças entre ração FAR e PEL. Quando avaliada somente a granulometria, observou-se que o aumento no DGM melhorou o ganho de peso linearmente e de forma quadrática o consumo e a conversão alimentar. Não houve influência da forma física ou DGM em rendimento de carcaça e rendimento de perna+coxa. Porém foi verificada uma redução em rendimento de peito com DGM 0,336 mm (p<0,001), na forma FAR.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different corn particle size, expressed as geometric mean diameter (GMD)(0.336 mm, 0.585mm, 0.856 mm and 1.12 mm) and two diet forms (mash-M and pellets-P) on performance and carcass yield of broilers from 21 to 42 days of age. M diets, produced with 0.336 mm of GMD resulted in lower feed intake (FI) (p<0.001), lower weight gain (WG) (p<0.001) and worse feed efficiency (FE) (p<0.001) than 0.336 mm P diets. M and P diets with other GMD did not show differences in performance. When particle size was evaluated itself, increments in GMD resulted a linear increase on WG and a quadratic increase on FI and FE. Neither form of diet nor particle size influenced carcass and leg+drumstick yields, although breast yield decreased with M diet,0.336 mm GMD (p<0.001).